When Waves Meet The Sand
by ChibiLover123
Summary: REVAMPED Kumiko, though the Avatar, never wanted to be responsible for the world...Not until she met the Demon of Suna. Gaara/OC Neji/OC Shikamaru/OC Kiba/OC CHAPTER 26 UP!
1. Chapter 1: Living Nightmares

The black flakes throbbed over the white canvas of the world, superimposed over the peaceful landscape like a cancer.

Screams faded in and out of hearing, ringing horribly in her ears, and the little girl breathed in sharply, coughing on smoke and the smell of burning flesh.

Ocean-blue eyes watered from the agony cascading out from her heart, and her entire body shook with it.

A figure appeared from the gloom, and she straightened, hopeful.

"Mommy?"

The smoke receded for a moment, and tears drenched her cheeks at the sight.

The woman was drenched in her own blood, stumbling over the snow with watery blue eyes.

Even her snow-white hair, longer than the girl's own, was a deep crimson from the liquid flowing out of her gaping neck and chest.

"_Bijin_…" She breathed, struggling to stand. "Run."

"MOMMY!"

With a jolt, Kumiko shot up off her pillow, panting.

The heart monitor was racing, and it took a great effort for her to calm down enough for the beeping to slow.

Whimpering softly, a young Polar Bear Dog pup sat up at her bedside, nuzzling against the little girl's chest comfortingly.

"I'm okay, Ki-chan…" Kumiko breathed, patting the canine's head with a bandaged hand. "I'm okay…"

Both knew that she was lying.

* * *

_**bijin**_-beautiful girl/woman


	2. Chapter 2: New Life

"How are you feeling, _shojo_?"

Turning her head away from the window, her Polar Bear Dog pup's head on her lap, Kumiko stared dubiously at the old man standing in the doorway.

She vaguely remembered him, and the young girl tried to smile, a bruise pulling on her cheek.

"I'm feeling much better. _Arigato_."

Nodding slowly, he moved to sit by her bedside, concern flashing through dark eyes in the shadow of his strange red and white hat.

"What is your name?" He wondered, voice soft.

"…Chiyo Kumiko." She answered, averting her eyes.

"Well, Kumiko-chan, where are you from? You seem to be far from home." He prodded gently.

Despite his great care, the words still struck a fresh wound, and blue eyes filled with tears against Kumiko's wishes.

"I…I am from the Southern Water Tribe." She forced out, voice strained from holding in sobs.

A chill swept down the aged Hokage's spine.

Only a few days ago, news had spread about everyone in the Southern Tribe being wiped out…

Were there more survivors?

"You traveled a long way." He noted, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Ki-chan did." Kumiko replied, rubbing behind her loyal pet's ears so she purred.

The Third Hokage had to admit that the canine was exceptionally loyal; after carrying the little girl for an unknown amount of time, she had given Kakashi's nin-dogs a good whooping before calming down.

"Is there any family we can contact?" He questioned, sad.

Kumiko shook her head, tears trembling on her lashes.

"No." She whispered, hand stilling on the pup's head and causing the exhausted creature to look up in worry. "They…They killed everyone…"

Staring into those heartbroken eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen saw the faces of two other young children he could not heal.

This time, he was going to make a difference. Kumiko felt her heart beat again for the first time since watching her village burn.

"Would you like to be part of mine?"

* * *

_**shojo**_-little girl

_**arigato**_-thank you


	3. Chapter 3: Sunrises

Here's the first official chapter! Don't forget to vote in the poll for the side-pairings!

And, for your viewing pleasure, here's a link to my YouTube page, where I have a number of AMVs based off this story. 

NaruFan14: my_videos

I hope you like them!^^

* * *

Kumiko always loved watching the sunrise.

The changing colors overhead were mesmerizing, and she would often look over the world as it slowly woke up from a peaceful rest.

Though she missed the rainbows when sunlight reflected off of snow, or the shine off the smooth icebergs, Kumiko found the forest just as calming and beautiful to watch.

Perched on a boulder, the preteen examined her personal training ground in the dawn light, gauging her progress.

Icicles were littered all over the rather sizable clearing, their sharp edges cutting through wood and stone, and a patch of withered grass stood next to a sliced boulder that had fallen cleanly in half.

Rocks jutted unnaturally out of the ground, and trees had been toppled from having large stones thrown into their thick trunks.

Proud of her predawn training, Kumiko slid down from her seat and adjusted the water pouches strapped to her back.

With a wave of her hand, the ice thawed, flowing into two empty pouches and staying put as she twisted the caps back on.

Stretching out her back with a 'POP', the young Waterbender folded both hands behind her head and started out at a leisurely pace towards the mansion peeking over the tree line.

Whistling softly, long white braid swaying with each step, she approached a sliding glass door and squeezed inside.

The interior was rather sparse, with very few decorations and designs, and painted warm reds and browns.

Passing by a few of the main meeting rooms, quite a few of which doubled as libraries or entertainment rooms, she stepped into the kitchen.

The large, spacious room was clean and occupied by only one person so early in the morning.

Konohamaru, ready for classes at the Ninja Academy, was shoveling pancakes into his mouth with such gusto that Kumiko momentarily wondered how he was able to breathe.

"Good morning, _otouto_." She greeted, grabbing an apple from the counter and leaning against the dark stone island the boy sat at.

Konohamaru tried to reply, but choked on his mouthful of pancake and flailed comically instead.

Used to this, since he tended to do the same almost every morning, Kumiko rolled her eyes and gave him one solid smack between the shoulder-blades.

A chunk of food flew out, hitting the wall with a 'SPLAT', and she pulled a face in disgust.

"Ew."

"Sorry, _oneechan_…" He apologized, matching Naruto's sheepish grin almost exactly. "I got excited…"

"I can see that." She replied smartly, using water from a nearby pitcher to clean up the mess. "Finish up. We're leaving soon."

Throwing the sullied water into the sink, the Waterbender turned and whistled as Konohamaru went back to wolfing down his food.

A bark, followed by a heavy 'THUMP', came from upstairs, and Kumiko smiled fondly as her Polar Bear Dog rushed down the stairs to greet her.

Skidding on the kitchen tile, Fubuki pressed her head into the girl's torso, growling happily as she was hugged around the neck.

"Morning, Ki-chan." Kumiko cooed, scratching behind a floppy ear. "Were you a good girl while I was gone?"

Rumbling in the affirmative, the massive canine flopped down without being released from her hug, nuzzling Kumiko's neck.

Finishing his teetering stack of pancakes with a flourish, Konohamaru choked it down with a tall glass of milk and sighed in relief once his airways were clear.

Eyeing him to make sure the boy didn't suddenly start choking again, which was a good possibility, Kumiko ruffled her pet's ears.

"Go get your bridle, Ki-chan. We're heading out now."

Tongue lolling happily as her tail became a wagging blur, Fubuki barked and took off through the house to retrieve the loops of leather for her owner.

"Do you have everything?" Kumiko wondered, biting into her apple.

"_Hai_!" He answered happily, jumping down from his stool to retrieve his pack. "_Ojiisan_ helped me pack!"

Smiling as Fubuki returned, skidding into a wall, the Waterbender ruffled his spiky brown hair.

"Good. You might have forgotten something otherwise."

Ignoring his pout, she grabbed the reins from Fubuki's mouth and herded both out the front door of the Hokage's mansion, locking it behind her.

Helping Konohamaru onto the Polar Bear Dog's shaggy back, Kumiko looped the reins around Fubuki's neck and shoulders, securing it snugly.

Swinging herself up behind Konohamaru, she squeezed her thighs and tightened her grip on the reins.

Instantly recognizing the signal, Fubuki took off through the trees, heading straight for the Ninja Academy.

Weaving through the crowded streets of Konohagakure, Fubuki jumped over shopping civilians and swerved out of the way of rushing ninja, intent on her goal.

Startled by the sudden movement, Konohamaru clung to Kumiko like a koala cub, afraid to fall off.

Wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders to hold him in place, she steered Fubuki away from the market to avoid the morning crowds.

'You'd think he'd be used to the speed by now.' The preteen thought, amused.

Pulling sharply on the reins, Kumiko brought her steed to a skidding halt directly in front of the Academy's front door.

With a pat to Fubuki's neck in thanks, the young girl jumped down, Konohamaru still clinging to her chest.

"You can let go now, _otouto_."

Realizing that he was no longer in mortal peril, the boy jumped back, flushing bright red and scrambling to regain the remnants of his dignity.

"I-I wasn't scared! I just-I just thought you needed a hug!"

Smiling fondly at the flustered ninja-in-training, Kumiko decided to put him out of his misery.

"That's alright, _otouto_. Just get to class. I'm working with _otousan_ today, so don't skip."

Nodding rapidly in agreement, knowing better than to test his sister's patience when she had to do paperwork, Konohamaru gave her one last hug and bolted for the door.

"Alright, _oneechan_! Say hi to _ojiisan_ for me!"

Waving until the boy was out of sight, Kumiko sighed, turning slightly to card her fingers through Fubuki's thick fur.

Growling softly in contentment, the Polar Bear Dog butted her head against the girl's hip, whining softly.

"Oh, alright." She mock-grumbled, taking up the reins and leading the way towards the Hokage Tower. "You'll get your treats once we get to _otousan_'s office, you big baby…"

* * *

_**otouto**_-little brother

_**oneechan**_-big sister

_**hai**_-yes

_**ojiisan**_-grandfather

_**otousan**_-father


	4. Chapter 4: Earthquakes

The poll is finished! The final pairings are:

Kana/Neji

Megumi/Shikamaru

Akemi/Kiba

Thanks so much for participating, and I hope you like the results!

* * *

Leaves rustled softly in the breeze, birdsong floating down from the sky and giving an aura of peace to the forest.

Trudging along the worn-down path, hands stuck in her pockets and glazed green eyes staring into space, a young girl shifted her shoulders under the heavy pack weighing them down.

With every step of her bare feet on the packed dirt, vibrations raced up her legs and made a picture in her mind's eye with startling clarity.

The massive walls of a bustling village formed at the edges of her senses, and a smirk crossed her face.

"Finally." She drawled, picking up her pace. "'Bout time I met our new A'atar…"

* * *

Whistling softly to herself, Kumiko weaved through the market, a bag full of groceries in her arms.

With the makings of dinner taken care of, she considered stopping by her apartment to pick up some blueberries for a pie she wanted to make when something caught her eye.

Pausing near the edge of the crowd, blue eyes scanned the passing faces, wondering what had caught her attention so thoroughly.

Just as she decided it had been nothing and began to turn away, a fist-sized rock flew at her face from the right.

Instinctively shifting the groceries to her left arm, Kumiko pulled water from the nearby grass and cut the projectile in half, hearing it fall harmlessly to the ground a few yards behind her.

'That could have smashed my head in.' She realized, tense and looking around for her attacker.

A small girl stood off to her right, smirk firmly in place and light green eyes, filmed over with telltale blindness, shone faintly with respect.

Kumiko wondered briefly how she had missed her.

"Definitely a Waterben'er." The brunette noted, seeming pleased with herself. "No one else moves quite like 'at."

"Um…thanks?" Kumiko replied, relaxing now that she realized there was no danger. "I'm Kumiko."

"Kana." The smaller girl introduced herself, shoving both hands in her pockets and tilting her head in though. "…Yer from the Sou'ern Tribe."

Kumiko's heart stuttered, old scars burning with the memory.

"How…?"

"E'eryone says 'at 'ere's only one Waterben'er in Konoha." Kana explained, serious. "And 'at's the A'atar."

Surprise flashed across her face, and the Waterbender grabbed the smaller girl's wrist, pulling her into a nearby alley.

Checking that no one had noticed their sudden departure, or overheard what had been said, Kumiko glared suspiciously.

"No one's supposed to know who I am."

"It's a secret." Kana admitted, shoulders slumped nonchalantly and sightless gaze aimed over the taller girl's shoulder. "I just…I just 'ad ta see ya."

The tension slowly leaked from Kumiko's shoulders, and the dark blue of her eyes lightened.

"…How is everything?"

"Bad." Kana replied bluntly. "'At's why I came ta fin' ya. We need ya right now."

"I'm not ready." The Waterbender argued, voice soft. "I've only mastered water…"

"Did ya think I came all 'is way fer a sleepo'er?" The brunette teased, a lopsided grin splitting her face. "Someone's gotta teach ya ta Earthben'."

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help his dumbfounded silence, blinking slowly as he looked between his adopted daughter and the young blind girl standing next to her.

While he knew that Kumiko needed an Earthbending teacher, he had not expected one to arrive for the express purpose of teaching her.

"_Musume_, would you step outside for a moment?"

Her bright ocean eyes flickered between him and the small Earthbender, unsure, before nodding.

"Of course, _otousan_."

Once the door closed behind her, the Third Hokage turned his full attention on the preteen still standing before him.

She was small-boned, almost fragile, with sun-darkened skin and curly black hair held back in a low, loose bun.

It was unnerving to know she was blind, but have her seemingly look straight at his face with unerring accuracy.

"Yer worried." Kana noted casually, seeming completely relaxed.

"Kumiko is my child in everything but blood." Hiruzen informed her, allowing the pressure of his chakra to become palpable. "If you intend to harm her…"

"She is my A'atar." Kana pointed out, immovable as the earth itself. "I'll protect 'er wit' my life, whe'er ya believe it 'r not."

A tense silence fell between them, with the aged Hokage studying her face for deception and Kana waiting for him to reach a conclusion.

The Earthbender was rather impressed, actually.

Not many people could stand to look her in the face for very long.

"Kumiko is a kunoichi of Konohagakure." Hiruzen pointed out. "To protect her, you would have to make the same oath. Are you willing to pledge your allegiance to the village?"

Remembering the metal plate and cloth tied around the Waterbender's right thigh, Kana tilted her head in thought.

"…Whate'er I gotta do, I'll do it."

Hiruzen found that he believed her.

* * *

_**musume**_-daughter


	5. Chapter 5: Friendship and Fire

The sun shone softly overhead, sending ripples of golden light through the trees to paint the grass in ever-shifting patterns of dark and light that was mesmerizing to watch.

Tearing her eyes away from the sight, shifting the strap of twin Dao swords lower on her sore shoulder, the young teenager frowned.

Amber eyes scanned the wide road, checking for danger, and she flicked a dark red curl away from her face with a sigh.

A wall, pale amid the intervening greenery, set her at ease.

'Finally…' She thought, tightening the bandages around her arms distractedly. 'It's time…'

* * *

Staring each other down from across an empty training ground, the two Benders sized each other up, waiting to strike.

A muscle in Kumiko's wrist twitched, and Kana smirked.

Widening her stance sharply, the white-haired preteen thrust her palm forward, sending a column of earth rushing out of the earth.

Holding her ground, Kana blocked her face, and the rock smashed against her braced arms, shattering like glass.

Stomping the packed dirt, the Earthbender brought up three boulders, which she punched at Kumiko simultaneously.

Instinct had the young Avatar dodging them, one clipping her heavily on the shoulder and sending the girl spinning off her feet.

Breaking her stance as the projectiles crashed into the trees, Kana sighed, disappointment visible even with the _hitai-ite_ tied over her eyes.

"I tol' ya not ta dodge. Ta really Earthben', ya gotta stan' yer groun'."

"Sorry, _danna_…" Kumiko apologized, sitting up with a wince. "I'm still not used to it, that's all."

Pulling water from the grass, she covered her palm and pressed it to her badly-bruised shoulder, the glow soothing away any pain.

Frowning, Kana tapped her toes against the ground, attention focused on her student's skeletal structure to make sure there were no fractures.

Once sure that she was alright, the Earthbender noticed a Jonin and his squad heading straight for them.

"We got company."

Blinking once in confusion, Kumiko turned her head to scan the training grounds, and spotted two green blurs racing over the grass.

"They're early for team training…" The Waterbender muttered to herself, standing up. "_Ohayo_, Gai-sensei. Lee-kun."

"Chiyo-sama! It is so inspiring to see the daughter of our Hokage showing her youthfulness through hard training!" Gai replied enthusiastically, dramatic tears running down his face. "You can learn much from her example, Lee!"

"_Hai_, Gai-sensei!"

Kumiko stared at the two, unsure how to respond, and Tenten shook her head in embarrassment, smiling apologetically.

"_Gomen_, Chiyo-sama. They're very excited today."

"It's no problem, Tenten-chan." Kumiko assured, smiling softly.

"And who is this youthful maiden?" Gai shouted, and the Waterbender noticed a tick in Kana's jaw at the 'maiden' part.

"This is my new teammate, Misaki Kana." She introduced, forcing a broader smile. "Kana, this is Maito Gai and his veteran Genin team; Rock Lee, Tenten, and Hyuga Neji."

Nodding in greeting, Kana shoved both hands into her pockets, looking completely relaxed.

"Yo."

"Your youthful coolness will hold you in good stead, just like it has for my rival Kakashi!" Gai assured, grinning. "Would you two like to join our training? Your youthfulness would push my own students harder!"

"Actually, I have to go help _otousan_ with paperwork…" Kumiko started, backpedaling, when she heard Neji scoff.

Both Benders zeroed in on the arrogant Hyuga.

"You should back down, little girls. Training with us will only get you hurt."

Kana bristled inwardly at the insult to her skill, and Kumiko sensed the shift as surely as one could feel the first trembles of an earthquake.

"Oh crap…" She whispered, looking between them worriedly.

"If yer so sure ya can beat me, then let's spar." The Earthbender challenged, fists clenched in her pockets.

Neji eyed the girl curiously, wondering what was going through her head.

"There is no point if I know how it will end."

…

"Kana, I've told you not to crush anyone." Kumiko scolded. "Put that down!"

Neji turned in surprise, finding a massive boulder floating threateningly in his blind spot.

It dropped with a loud 'THUD', falling harmlessly onto one side, and fear prickled at the edges of the Hyuga's senses.

Turning back to the blindfolded kunoichi, he wondered how he had missed that.

"_Gomen_, but we have other things to do today." Kumiko apologized, grabbing her teammate by the arm and pulling her away. "Perhaps another time, Gai-sensei."

"Of course, Chiyo-sama! Burn bright with the power of youth!"

Ignoring his hyperactive _sensei_, Neji watched them go, confused and angry with his confusion.

No one should be able to defy fate.

* * *

Grumbling around a mouthful of flavored rice, Kana attacked her _bento_ with the ferocity of a Saber-Toothed Moose Lion, _hitai-ite_ hanging around her neck in a discarded manner.

Eating at a slower pace, Kumiko watched the nearby river, soothed by the soft sound of water running over age-smoothed rocks.

"Stupid boy, thinkin' I can't fight…" Kana mumbled audibly, stuffing a piece of pork in her mouth with some rice. "I'll show 'im who can't fight…Let's see 'im walk 'roun' with a rock shoved up 'is-"

"_Kana_!" Kumiko shouted, wide-eyed.

"What? 'E'd deserve it!" The brunette argued, frowning. "It'd serve 'im right, too, 'ssumin' I can't kick 'is ass six ways ta Sunday."

"Neji may be…abrasive." Kumiko admitted, trying to find a more neutral word for the Hyuga prodigy's attitude. "But he's still a citizen of Konoha. You can't just beat him up."

Muttering about the unfairness of it all, Kana finished off her lunch and lay back on the grass, fingers curling into the fresh dirt underneath.

Watching her for a moment, Kumiko let out a sigh, putting her own meal aside.

"…I'm sorry."

Surprised by her words, the Earthbender turned her head towards her Waterbending companion, mind racing.

"Huh?"

"I know you'd rather not be here, and it's my fault for not learning Earthbending on my own. I promise to try harder so that you can leave sooner."

For a moment, Kana could only gawk at her.

Once her brain caught up with what had been said, the brunette jerked herself upright, scowling as she grabbed Kumiko by her mesh shirt threateningly.

"Don't thin' fer one moment 'at anyone can force me ta do anything' I don't wanna do!" She growled, fierce. "I'm 'ere 'cause I wanna be, an' if ya _e'er_ thin' o'erwise, I'm gonna beat some sense inta yer 'ead!"

Dumbstruck, Kumiko stared into the other girl's blind eyes and tried to find words.

"…Really?"

Deflating slowly, Kana released her grip.

"I don't lie, sweet'eart."

Slowly, a smile broke out across her face like a flash of sunlight over water, and she embraced the Earthbender.

"_Arigato_." Kumiko whispered.

Blushing faintly, Kana patted the white-haired girl's back awkwardly.

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Chiyo-sama!"

The two Benders jumped apart, turning to see Ebisu running towards them, breathless.

"Your presence is required at the Hokage Tower. A visitor has arrived demanding to see you."

"A visitor?" Kumiko echoed, brow furrowing in confusion. "Who?"

* * *

Sitting back calmly, Sarutobi eyed the girl before him in curiosity.

She was only a couple of years older than his own daughter, with pale skin and sharp amber eyes.

The girl was built more like a runner than a fighter; she was lean, but toned, and her aristocratic features were carefully blank.

Her long red ponytail swayed as she turned to the opening door, seeming completely at ease.

Kumiko blinked owlishly as she stepped inside, with Kana only moments behind her, and the Waterbender closed the door in Ebisu's face.

"Um…Hi."

"_Musume_, this is Chinatsu Megumi. She has offered to be your Firebending teacher." Sarutobi explained.

Kana frowned, _hitai-ite_ once more secured over her sightless eyes, and stepped forward almost threateningly.

A hand on her shoulder kept the Earthbender from doing anything else, and she huffed, subsiding.

Looking into the older girl's bright gold eyes, Kumiko relaxed slowly, not sensing any danger.

"Why?"

Guilt flashed across Megumi's eyes, quickly hidden but clearly visible, and her expression hardened in determination.

"It needs to be done."

Silence fell as the two studied each other, and Sarutobi wondered for a moment what the two girls were looking for.

Only the slight tapping of Kana's toes against the wood floor betrayed her anxiety.

A smile spread across Kumiko's face, and all the tension in the room immediately dissipated.

"_Arigato_, Megumi-chan."

Staring at her in confusion, an embarrassed flush crossed Megumi's face and she looked away, expression forcefully blank.

"Whatever…"

* * *

**_hitai-ite_**-headband

_**danna**_-master

_**ohayo**_-good morning

_**gomen**_-sorry

_**sensei**_-teacher


	6. Chapter 6: Calm Fire

Staring at the paperwork on her desk, Kumiko sighed, turning away as if that would make the nuisance go away.

Only a bedside lamp cast any concrete light in the room, darkening the bright white walls to grey and the swirls of blue and purple on the ceiling to black whirlpools.

Assorted weapons, both from the Southern Tribe and more modern ninja fare, littered the dresser and nightstand along with scrolls and weights, throwing shadows across the walls.

The desk was fairly clear in comparison, with only a stack of papers and a pen sitting innocently in one corner, taunting her.

Curling up in the thick furs piled on her bed, Kumiko closed her eyes and wished she could manage to rest, if only for a few hours.

Moonlight seemed to burn through the closed curtains, chasing away sleep, and the white-haired girl turned, pulling the furs up over her head to ward off the waxing moon's influence.

Watching her owner's antics from the wood floor, Fubuki stretched on her side, huffing in amusement.

"Oh, shush." Kumiko grumbled, throwing a pillow at the canine's head.

Giving up the fight for peaceful oblivion with a sigh, the Waterbender rolled out of bed, stepping around Fubuki on her way to the desk.

Grumbling about the unfairness of it all, she dropped heavily into the chair, leaning forward heavily on her elbows and glaring at the documents before her.

"As long as I'm up, might as well get some of this done…"

* * *

RING! RING! RING!

Jerking awake, Kumiko looked around blearily for the offending alarm, wiping drool from her cheek.

Using a water whip to hit the snooze button, she put the water back into a nearby glass and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Another glance at the clock had her panicking.

'I'm gonna be late!'

Knocking over the wheeled chair in her haste, Kumiko dove for her dresser, grabbing her customary outfit and rushing to the bathroom.

Seated at the small counter in the apartment's kitchenette, Meg looked up from heating her tea as the door was slammed shut.

'She's running late again.' The Firebender observed, sipping her tea calmly.

When Kumiko burst out of the bathroom, fully dressed and braiding her long hair, Megumi grabbed an apple and Fubuki's reins from a nearby hook and held them out for the agitated preteen.

Flashing a grateful smile, the Waterbender took the items gratefully, opening the front door and whistling sharply.

Bounding out of the far bedroom, down the little hallway, and across the living room, Fubuki flew out the door in an excited white blur.

"See you at training!" Kumiko shouted in goodbye, closing the door with a loud 'BANG'.

Kana stumbled out of a right-hand bedroom, yawning widely and cracking her neck.

"Ya two get up _way_ too early…" The Earthbender grumbled, plodding into the kitchen in search of an easy breakfast.

"I rise with the sun." Megumi answered simply, sipping her tea.

"Yeah, yeah…'aven't 'eard _'at _one 'fore…"

Amused by the Earthbender's morning antics, she calmly finished her tea and stood, grabbing 'The Art of War' and a _bento_ from the fridge.

"I'm going out." Megumi informed, sword scabbard swung over her left shoulder as casually as a backpack.

"Yeah, yeah…" Kana mumbled, waving her away absentmindedly while pouring cereal into a bowl. "'Ave fun…"

Rolling her eyes, Megumi stepped outside, kicking the door closed as she scanned the street.

Turning to the right, away from the Academy and the main markets, she decided to head down the street and find a quiet place to read her book.

It took roughly an hour of searching, most of which was spent avoiding the innumerable crowds that Konoha managed to form, until the Firebender found a suitably isolated tree to sit under.

Settling down against the thick trunk, shielded from the sun's rays by the swaying leaves, Megumi set down her _bento_ and opened 'The Art of War' to the first page.

Just as she began to relax…

"What are you doing here?"

Looking up at the sudden voice, tense, Megumi spotted a boy lounging on one of the higher branches and staring up at the sky.

"Reading." She answered simply, gold eyes narrowed. "And you?"

"Watching the clouds." He replied lazily, rolling off and dropping down beside her in a loose crouch.

"I'm Shikamaru, by the way." The shinobi informed, seeming disinterested.

Megumi was not fooled; there was an intensity in his dark eyes that hinted at strong curiosity, belying his nonchalance.

"Megumi." The Firebender stated, half-smiling. "Would you like to join me? I brought a lunch."

Shikamaru was silent for a moment, thinking over the offer, before plopping down and resuming his cloud-watching.

Taking that as a 'yes', the young teen placed her _bento_ between them and returned to her book without saying a word.

Slowly, Megumi was starting to understand what it felt like to be content.

* * *

Patting Fubuki's neck as the massive dog panted tiredly, Kumiko led her slowly through the streets, whispering apologies for pushing so hard.

Licking the girl's cheek in forgiveness, the Polar Bear Dog rested her head on Kumiko's shoulder in a gesture of affection.

Giggling, the white-haired preteen scratched just behind the canine's ear when a shout caught her attention.

"Mimi-chan!"

Waving ecstatically, an orange-wearing blonde ran towards her from up the street, his pink and black-haired teammates following at a more sedate pace.

'He must have just gotten back from that C-ranked mission _otousan_ gave them.'

"_Konichiwa_, Naruto-kun." Kumiko greeted, smiling. "How did your mission go?"

"Awesome!" Naruto assured, grinning widely.

"Naruto, stop shouting!" The pink-haired kunoichi shouted, grabbing him roughly by the ear. "_Gomen_, Chiyo-sama! He just doesn't know when to shut up!"

Blinking owlishly at the violent scene, Kumiko looked towards the Uchiha survivor, silently asking if she wanted to know.

He scoffed, and she figured that meant 'no'.

"It's alright, Sakura-chan." Kumiko assured, gently releasing Naruto from the aforementioned girl's death-grip. "I'm used to Naruto-kun's yelling by now. There's no need to hurt him."

Flushing and stammering, Sakura complied, acting as if no one had ever objected to her actions before.

Considering Sasuke's reaction, Kumiko had no problem believing that was the case.

"If you've just gotten back, I'd like to treat you to lunch and hear all about your mission." The Waterbender offered kindly.

"Sure, Mimi-chan!" Naruto agreed quickly, practically vibrating in place from excitement. "Let's go to Ichiraku's! Come on!"

The three Genin watched the blonde race off, and even Fubuki huffed in amusement.

"Well, come on." Kumiko encouraged, herding the reluctant duo towards the ramen bar. "Ki-chan wants some meat scraps, and Naruto will eat all of them if we don't hurry."


	7. Chapter 7: Dangerous Waters

Stretching out her back with a 'POP', Kumiko sighed in relief as her muscles loosened.

Gathering the finished paperwork, she walked out of her little office and headed for the Hokage's, ready to hand in her assignment and go train with her new team.

Opening the door with her back, the young Waterbender smiled in greeting.

"_Konichiwa_, _otousan_. I'm done."

Looking up from the scroll he was reading, Sarutobi smiled in return, beckoning his daughter over.

"That's good. I was hoping to speak with you about something."

Curious now, Kumiko put down her load on the desk and faced her father expectantly.

"I received a scroll this morning from a small village asking for aid. It seems that they are being harassed by thieves, and the continued pilfering threatens their continued survival." Sarutobi explained, rolling up said scroll carefully. "Now that you have a capable team, I believe you are ready for your first C-ranked mission."

"…Really?" Kumiko replied, stunned.

She had only ever gone on D-ranked missions around the village, with or without her new teammates, because, with the Hokage as the official squad leader, leaving the village had never been an option.

"I will be assigning a Jonin to your squad as temporary team leader." Sarutobi informed her, smiling at the growing excitement in her brightening blue eyes. "I'll have someone chosen by later today."

"Thank you, _otousan_!" Kumiko shouted, jumping to hug her adopted father over the desk in her excitement. "Thank you-Thank you-Thank you!"

Chuckling softly, Sarutobi pat her on the back, allowing her to slide back off his desk on the other side.

"You're welcome, _musume_. Now go and find your team. I'm sure they'll want to know about their new mission."

Nodding enthusiastically, the young girl raced out of the Hokage's office, sped up by a subconscious burst of air that nearly sent his paperwork flying.

Amused, Sarutobi picked up another scroll, smiling.

He knew that, one day, Kumiko would make a great Avatar.

* * *

Genma sighed inwardly, cursing his bad luck.

As one of the only free Jonin, not having a Genin team or previous assignment, he was now in charge of the Hokage's daughter and her team on an out-of-village mission.

Though the thought of traveling was enticing, he was not looking forward to babysitting three Genin.

"Are you sure they're ready, Hokage-sama?" Genma wondered, hoping to dissuade him.

"Do you doubt my daughter?"

Here, the Jonin hesitated.

Though he _did_ have some reservations, saying so would be an insult both to his Hokage's family and teaching.

But from what he remembered, Kumiko was a tiny little thing, barely able to hold a kunai.

How was she supposed to survive out there?

Seeing his indecision, Sarutobi smiled kindly.

"You haven't seen Kumiko for quite a few years, Genma. She may surprise you."

* * *

The village gates loomed overhead, a watchful giant, and Kumiko looked past it at the forest beyond.

It had been so long since she had been outside those walls…

Adjusting the reins on Fubuki's shoulders, she pat the shaggy white neck when the canine huffed in mild discomfort.

Kana leaned back against the stone wall, arms crossed and frown firmly in place, while Meg sat in the shade, silently reading.

Securing their packs to her Polar Bear Dog's saddle, the Waterbender looked up, checking for their temporary Jonin supervisor.

Not seeing anyone walking up the path towards them, she sighed.

'Well, we did get here early…' Kumiko reasoned, glancing up to see the sun travel slowly towards noon above them.

Technically, the group was supposed to head out at eleven, but since the girls were early risers (with the unhappy exception of Kana), they had gotten to the gate by nine o'clock instead.

Fubuki whined, plopping down in exaggerated upset over her load, and Kumiko rolled her eyes.

"Stop being such a baby. You've done worse."

The Polar Bear Dog looked pointedly at her, and the Waterbender sighed again.

"I'm not going to keep thanking you for that. That doesn't mean I'm not grateful."

Another huff, and the canine looked away.

"Drama queen…" Kumiko muttered playfully, scratching behind the closest ear.

After a few moments, Fubuki allowed her leg to start thumping and a pleased growl to rumble from her chest.

Amused despite herself at the scene, Kana's frown fell and a smirk began to pull at her mouth instead.

Not lifting her head, Megumi hid her own small smile in the pages of her book.

"Someone's comin'." Kana informed them, hands in her pockets as she pushed off the wall.

Closing her tome with a 'SNAP', Megumi stood and slid it into her pack as Fubuki hefted herself up.

Excited, Kumiko turned to see just who was coming down the road, and smiled as she recognized him.

Pausing a few yards away, Genma looked over his charges, senbon held carefully between his teeth.

They were certainly not the loud, bright, rash bunch he had expected after seeing the newest batch of Genin from the Academy.

Instead, before him were three competent kunoichi, ready for orders.

Rolling the senbon in his mouth thoughtfully, Genma decided that this might not be so bad after all.

"Chiyo-sama." He greeted, stopping beside the young Waterbender and her pet. "Are you ready to go?"

All three nodded, and he motioned for them to follow him out of the gate.

Immediately, all three fell into formation. Kumiko and Megumi took up positions on both sides of Fubuki, guarding her from any surprise attacks, while Kana took up the rear in case of pursuit.

Eying them approvingly, Genma found his diagnosis brightening.

Perhaps they would survive after all.

* * *

As the terrain grew more rocky and unsure, cliffs and sheer drops growing dangerously in number at every turn, Genma knew they were close.

The little village that had called for their help, _Shinkiro no Mura_, was known for its masonry and illusive location, as well as suffering the greatest losses in the last Shinobi War.

Leading Fubuki over the treacherous incline of loose gravel and stone, Kumiko paused, a sense of unease filling her.

Noticing this, the Polar Bear Dog lifted her head and sniffed the air, wary.

Genma hesitated as something brushed against the edges of his senses, and Megumi froze in adjusting her scabbard.

Kana moved first, bringing up a rock wall to block a massive barrage of kunai and shuriken.

Galvanized into action, Kumiko uncapped all four of her water pouches, bringing the water around to wash away a second attack from the other side.

Allowing the weapons to fall harmlessly on the rocks, she took a stance, the water hanging around her shoulders like a snake, as two rogue shinobi dropped down from the trees.

Their slashed headbands gave away their homeland; Sunagakure, the desert village in the Land of Wind.

"Put the water down, little girl." The larger, a heavily-muscled man, ordered with a chuckle. "You might hurt yourself."

Blue eyes narrowed, and Kumiko stood her ground as Fubuki bristled, fangs bared in a snarl.

"No."

The other, a slim wisp of a boy, sneered in response and pulled out heavily-bladed whips.

"Your funeral."

One of the deadly weapons swung for her head, and Kumiko realized that every sharp edge was coated in a sheen of poison.

Jumping back to avoid even the slightest of nicks, Kumiko twisted to avoid a flurry of kunai.

Using the momentum of her spin, she sent a strong wave towards her enemies, knocking the largest off his feet and into a tree.

With a slow breath and the slightest tensing of her fingers, the water froze into ice, pinning him there.

There was no time to feel proud of herself; the other shinobi, enraged, was on the attack and intent on causing damage.

Fluidly dodging, Kumiko spared only a glance for her team.

Kana seemed perfectly fine facing off against three ninja, all of which were Earth-Style kunoichi, and was holding her own with relative ease.

Megumi, facing two shinobi, also seemed to have the upper hand, considering she had not needed to resort to Firebending yet.

The only Jonin among the enemy was a giant of a man, who had chosen to face off with Genma using devastating Fire-Style _jutsu_.

Sliding around another strike, forced to duck low to avoid getting cut, Kumiko pulled water out of the nearby trees to block the second whips' swing.

Freezing a good chunk the size of her fist on the tip, the Waterbender sent her own whip out, catching the small boy on the shoulder.

Something cracked, and Kumiko froze, memories rushing to the surface and dragging the sounds of dying screams with them.

Her moment of distraction was a moment too long.

The first whip, still weighed down by the ice stuck to the end, wrapped once around her chest, catching on her shoulder and hip with poisonous hooks.

Wincing in pain, Kumiko tried to hold her ground, but the sudden jerk was too powerful and she was thrown into the air.

Already the poison was taking effect, her vision blurring to the point she could not tell the ground from the sky.

It took a moment for Kumiko to realize that she was falling over a cliff instead of hitting the ground.

Fubuki's howl jolted her into clarity just before she hit the water, swallowing her as a scream tore through the air.

"KUMIKO!"

The blackness was a blessing after that.

* * *

**_Shinkiro no Mura_**-Mirage Village

_**jutsu**_-technique


	8. Chapter 8: Lost

Fubuki was not known for being an aggressive creature.

She was a sweet, playful dog that loved Kumiko more than anything else in the world.

It was this great love and her undying loyalty that had the passive Polar Bear Dog on the rampage.

Proud of his victory, the young shinobi turned to see who his next target would be.

In that one moment of arrogance, he left himself open to Fubuki's vengeance.

Pouncing on the small boy so hard that his whips flew away, harmless, the canine dug her fangs into his shoulder and shook the boy in her jaws like a rag-doll.

Once the boy stopped moving altogether, Fubuki released him, giving one more growl before running to the cliff's edge in search of her owner.

A wide river foamed below, the strong current split by jutting rocks and creating dangerous undercurrents.

Ignoring the fights still raging behind her, the canine jumped down, skidding on the steep incline until she reached the bottom.

With a huff at the extra weight attached to her saddle, Fubuki used her teeth to undo the knot around her stomach, shaking the entire thing off before racing downstream.

Kumiko needed her.

* * *

Staring in disbelief at where Kumiko had fallen, Megumi felt a spark of rage in her chest.

Kumiko was hurt by those blade-whips, and probably disoriented from being thrown.

If she had been knocked unconscious by the fall…

With a roar like an enraged Tigerdillo, Megumi turned on her opponents with a flurry of fireballs.

Neither had expected such a display, operating on the deduction that she was a Taijutsu user, and were thrown back by the assault.

With her prey unconscious and badly singed, the Firebender breathed out the rest of her anger in a puff of flame.

Three bodies flew past her, pinned under rocks, and she knew Kana had grown tired of the distraction as well.

Running towards the cliff as Fubuki slid down, Megumi brought herself to an abrupt halt at the edge, immediately scanning the raging water for any signs of their teammate.

Seeing no sign of movement as the Polar Bear Dog abandoned her load and took off, Megumi scowled, nails biting into the scarred palms of her hands through the bandages.

"Damn."

Kana appeared beside her, foot slamming into the ground to better visualize the area.

As the young Earthbender began to spew a series of rather impressive curses, Genma approached, having safely secured their enemies.

"Is there any sign of her?" He worried, mind already racing with all the things the Hokage would do to him when the old man found out about this.

"No." Kana replied, causing the Jonin's heart to sink. "But 'er dog went off somewhere. She'll find 'er."

Genma certainly hoped so…

* * *

The moment air rushed into Kumiko's lungs, the world fell back into place.

Coughing weakly, she forced herself to roll over on the moist sand, the satiny touch of water flowing over her legs comfortingly.

'_Arigato_, Yue-sama…' She thought, still dazed.

Bleeding sluggishly from the punctures cutting diagonally across her chest, the Waterbender tried to raise a hand in an attempt to heal herself.

The poison had taken more of a toll than she had anticipated; her arms gave out, too weak to support her weight, and Kumiko willed the black spots out of her vision with sheer willpower.

'_Kuso_…'

The darkness was closing in against her will, hearing fading in and out, and she felt tears prick her eyes.

'Why…? Why can't I…?'

As unconscious swept over her, Kumiko vaguely wondered where the voices of young children was coming from.

* * *

_**kuso**_-damn


	9. Chapter 9: Hunting

Against his deepest wishes, Genma knew that the group had to go on.

They had to trust that Kumiko could take care of herself and join up with them later.

If not…

He did not want to think of that, considering what horrible things the Hokage would do to him for losing his daughter.

Megumi and Kana were silent, one carrying the load in place of the rogue Polar Bear Dog while the other transported their new prisoners on a floating platform of rock.

If Genma had not looked any deeper, he would have thought they were untroubled.

The fire in Megumi's eyes and the tension in Kana's jaw belied their blank expressions.

They were _seething_.

Nothing would stop the two Benders from finding their Avatar.

* * *

When the team finally reached _Shinkiro no Mura_, Megumi and Kana's patience were threads at best.

Though accustomed to waiting, they were tormented by thoughts of what could be happening to Kumiko the entire time.

This left both Benders chomping at the bit, eager to finish the mission as soon as possible in order to begin searching.

Genma, though preoccupied with his imminent demise, scanned the small village suspiciously.

_Shinkiro no Mura_ may not have been the largest settlement, but it certainly did not look on the edge of financial ruin.

Hidden between trees and behind boulders, each house was sturdily built and freshly painted to blend in with the scenery.

People were walking about, dressed in well-maintained, brightly-colored clothes and shopping at well-stocked market stands without a care in the world.

Gold eyes narrowed skeptically, and Megumi scowled.

This looked more like a community of rich merchants than a village on the verge of poverty.

"Ah, there you are!" A large, round man shouted jovially as he approached. "It's a relief to see you. I'm Tadao Manzo, the mayor of _Shinkiro no Mura_."

"I'm Shiranui Genma, and this is Chinatsu Megumi and Misaki Kana." The Jonin introduced, gesturing to each girl in turn. "I'll need to ask you some questions before we can get to work. Do you mind if these two take a look around after finding a place for these bandits?"

A tick was briefly visible in his jaw, and Kana's frown deepened at the sudden jump in his heartbeat.

"Not at all! Would you like someone to escort you?" Manzo wondered, smiled slightly strained now.

Megumi shook her head in the negative, suspicions growing.

"We will be fine on our own, Tadao-sama."

Taking the hint, Kana turned towards the jail, where she could sense a few bodies and the ring of old metal.

As she followed, the Firebender took notice of how people nervously shifted out of their way, guiltily staring at the ground.

"What do you think?"

Kana tilted her head in thought, vibrations tingling up her legs like gentle pinpricks.

"…I thin' we've a lot 'a work ta do 'ere."

* * *

Sniffing the disturbed ground, Fubuki's floppy ears cocked forward as her owner's scent became apparent over the smell of mud.

Now that she had the trail, the Polar Bear Dog bounded after it, intent on finding her owner.

One should never get between an Animal Guide and their Avatar.

* * *

Fire sparked at the tips of her fingers, a sign of impatience that Megumi was quick to smother as she followed Kana through the houses.

With their attackers safely locked away for the time being, the two were free to investigate.

It was the last thing either of them wanted to do.

"Ya min' keepin' the 'eat down?" Kana voiced, exasperated. "Roastin' us alive ain't gonna 'elp anythin'."

Closing her eyes, Megumi calmed the heat in her gut with a deep breath, tightening the _hitai-ite_ tied around her neck.

"_Gomen_. I'm just frustrated."

"Ya an' me both." The Earthbender agreed.

She stopped suddenly, intrigued, which caught the redhead's attention.

"What is it?"

"Seems like we've got a visitor." Kana noted, turning her head to the right.

They were at the edge of the village, which was marked by a line of moss-covered boulders.

Shadows lurked at the base, and Megumi spotted two that were vaguely humanoid in shape.

Pulling Kana into the darkness of a nearby alley, the Firebender kept an eye on the lurking figures, calculating their trajectory.

"They seem to be heading for the market."

"Weird place ta steal from if yer a thief." The brunette mused, a frown forming on her have-hidden face.

Unable to argue with that logic, Megumi began to follow them from the shadows.

"I'll follow them. Try to cut them off further ahead."

"Aye-Aye, captain." Kana drawled, turning and taking off down the alley.

Rolling her eyes, the teenager continued trailing her targets, crouched low and hidden from view.

Something felt wrong about this whole thing, but she could not quite put her finger on it…

As she passed by a seemingly-abandoned building, Megumi frowned when the door opened and men stepped out, wielding scythes and crude blades.

They were not quite as stealthy in their pursuit of the supposed thieves, but it seemed they were not spotted by anyone besides her.

'Strange…'

The market was soon within sight, and Megumi stopped at the edge, following the shadows with her eyes.

Kana appeared next to her, scowling.

"There's a problem."

For a moment, Megumi wondered what was wrong.

When she saw the two figures clearly, there was no need to ask.

They were hunting children.

* * *

**_Shinkiro no Mura_**-Mirage Village

* * *

Name: Manzo Tadao ('ten thousand-fold-strong third son'/'complacent' or 'satisfied')  
Age: 38  
Hair: Dull black and graying, thin and short  
Eye Color: Black  
Skin Tone/Build: Pale/Chubby and round  
Height: 5'8''


	10. Chapter 10: Healing

Pain was the first thing Kumiko registered as she began to wake up.

The cuts along her torso were throbbing, and her body was burning in an attempt to kill off the poison that was running unchecked through her veins.

Taking deep, agonized breaths, Kumiko groaned in an attempt to overcome the poison's influence.

"Oh, you're awake!" A little girl's voice shouted, surprised.

Forcing her eyes open, the Waterbender found a chubby little heart-shaped face hovering over her own, wide green eyes trained on her and blonde hair frizzed.

"Hi!"

Blinking in surprise, Kumiko managed a smile.

"Uh…Hi?"

"I'm Momo!" The child introduced herself, jumping off the make-shift bed. "Who are you? What were you doing in the river? Why do you have so many weapons? Are you a ninja? Could you teach me to be a ninja too?"

Mind still spinning, Kumiko levered herself upright with some difficulty.

"Could I have some water first?" She wondered, a headache forming behind her eyes.

"I can't really think straight…"

"Oh, sure!" Momo assured, turning around and grabbing an old, chipped cup full of the liquid.

Taking the cup gratefully, Kumiko closed her eyes and breathed, feeling for the poison in her blood.

Her senses snagged on the barbed little hooks, and she pulled.

Momo watched, wide-eyed, as a faintly green liquid floated out of Kumiko's still-open wounds, condensing into a sphere beneath the white-haired girl's hand.

Once a majority of the poison was extracted, Kumiko gloved her other hand in a thin sheet of water, which glowed upon contact with her injuries.

With the damage undone, the young blonde seemed to find her voice.

"You're a Waterbender!" Momo realized, awed. "I've never met another Bender besides my _oniisan_!"

"You're a Bender?" Kumiko questioned, putting the poison safely into an empty vial held in her kunai pouch.

"Yup! Me and my brother are Earthbenders!" Momo explained, grinning widely. "Oh, I've got to go tell Seiji-san that you're awake!"

Turning away, Momo took a strong stance and brought both hands down, pulling open a hidden door in the wall before running through.

"I'll be right back!"

Watching her go, Kumiko collected her thoughts and took in her surroundings more clearly.

The room was rounded and rather large, carved into the rock, with only a mattress and sheets for furniture.

Fingering the ratty sheets, the Waterbender frowned.

Who lived here, exactly?

"So, you're finally awake." A voice said from the doorway, catching Kumiko's attention.

Standing there was a boy her age, only slightly shorter than Megumi, with shaggy reddish-brown hair and weary purple eyes.

"I am Seiji, the leader of the _Kodomo no Girudo_."

Those eyes narrowed, suspicious.

"Who are you, and why were you in the river?"

"I'm Kumiko." She replied, unknowingly giving him a disarming smile. "Me and my friends were attacked on the way to _Shinkiro no Mura_, and I got thrown into the river. I'm sorry to have bother you."

Excited whispering came from somewhere beyond the doorway, and Seiji rolled his eyes tiredly.

"If you've healed yourself like Momo said, you should be ready to leave."

Nodding, Kumiko stood up just as two small girls ran in and almost tackled her in a hug.

One was Momo, who rambled on about not wanting the Waterbender to leave, while the other was a slightly taller brunette with short dark hair and hazel eyes that was reasoning with Seiji to let her stay.

They drowned each other out to the point that Kumiko could no longer identify words, and Seiji pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache.

"Someone's obviously going to be looking for her." He argued, cutting off the stream of noise.

"Can we at least help her find her friends?" The brunette girl wondered, pouting cutely.

"You don't have to." Kumiko assured, picking up her water pouches from their spot next to the bed. "I just need to know which way the village is, and I'll be on my way."

Frowning, Seiji opened his mouth to reply-

A scream tore through the air, and Kumiko almost dropped her pouches in surprise.

Seiji tore off down the tunnel, and the brunette girl was quick to follow, clearly concerned.

Taking hold of Kumiko's hand, Momo tugged her into a run after them, nearly pulling the Waterbender off-balance with her speed.

The tunneled hallways were long and winding, cutting across each other in a seemingly random way, that reminded Kumiko of a badger's burrow she had found when trying out her Seismic Sense.

Momo tugged her into a massive room, where two boys were dragging themselves in from a steep tunnel on the other side, covered in blood.

The smaller of the two seemed relatively unharmed, blood dripping from his spiky blonde hair because of the other boy's gushing arm, which was draped over his shoulders from their collapsed position on the floor.

"What happened?" Seiji demanded as the two girls helped support the injured nine-year-old as the younger one collapsed in exhaustion, blue eyes dull from lack of energy.

Kumiko ignored the two, rushing to the other boy's side to check the damage as he was laid down.

The brunette girl was pale with fright, green chakra probing the extensive wound, and she pulled back.

"It's too deep…I can't heal this…"

"I can." Kumiko stated, uncapping one of her pouching and streaming some of the water out over one shoulder.

Examining the massive gash, which started from the brunette boy's shoulder all the way to his wrist, she used one hand to keep the blood from flowing out.

He had lost too much as it was.

Pressing a water-gloved palm to his shoulder, Kumiko let out a cleansing breath as her chi reacted with his own life force and caused the liquid to glow.

Muscles reconnected and skin stitched itself together seamlessly, leaving no trace of injury behind.

With the wound closed, she dropped the bloody water onto the floor and checked for a pulse, concerned.

…

_Ba-Bump_…

_Ba-Bump_…

Relieved, Kumiko looked up at her stunned audience with a smile.

"He should be fine after a meal and some rest." She assured.

"_A-Arigato_." Momo whispered, teary-eyed and sniffling as she kneeled beside the unconscious boy.

"Why did you save him?"

Distracted from capping her water pouch, Kumiko blinked owlishly at Seiji, confused.

"Why wouldn't I?"

He seemed to have no idea how to respond, and she looked past him towards the other boy.

"Are you alright?" The white-haired preteen worried.

"I'm fine…" He replied, studying her curiously.

"You should eat and rest." She advised, oblivious to everyone else's awed, curious stares. "Running out of chakra can be a death sentence with a skilled healer, never mind an amateur like me."

He nodded dumbly, and Seiji watched Kumiko as she stood, adjusting the straps of her pouches.

"Are you going, then?" He wondered bitterly.

"Nope."

All four of them stared at the Waterbender in bewilderment, caught off-guard.

"Really?" Momo whispered, hopeful.

"I can't leave knowing you're all out here fending for yourselves." Kumiko explained, a frown forming at the thought. "So I'm going to help, whether you like it or not."

* * *

**_Kodomo no Girudo_**-Child Guild

* * *

Name: Tomoko 'Momo' ('one who is friendly')  
Age: 8  
Abilities: Amateur Earthbender  
Hair: Blonde and frizzy, down to her shoulders  
Eye Color: Green  
Skin Tone/Build: Slightly dark/Petite  
Height: 4'5''

Name: Yei ('one who is thriving')  
Age: 7  
Abilities: Perfect chakra control, minor Medical Jutsu  
Hair: Black, wavy, in choppy layers down to her chin  
Eye Color: Hazel  
Skin Tone/Build: Slightly sun-tanned/Thin  
Height: 4'8''

Name: Benjiro 'Benny' ('peaceful' or 'enjoy peace')  
Age: 9  
Abilities: Amateur Earthbender  
Hair: Dark brown, choppy layers around his ears  
Eye Color: Green  
Skin Tone/Build: Slightly dark/Toned  
Height: 4'11''

Name: Rai ('trust' or 'lightning' or 'thunder')  
Age: 7  
Abilities: Lightning-style chakra.  
Hair: Bleach blonde, slightly long and spiky  
Eye Color: Light blue  
Skin Tone/Build: Sun-tanned/Lean  
Height: 4'4''

Name: Seiji ('lawful' or 'manages affairs of state')  
Age: 12  
Abilities: Highly-skilled in Taijutsu  
Hair: Reddish-brown, shaggy, down to his neck  
Eye Color: Purple  
Skin Tone/Build: Pale/Thinly muscled  
Height: 5'4''


	11. Chapter 11: Realizations

Kumiko had always known her soft heart was a disability in her line of work.

Ninja were not supposed to sympathize, empathize, or feel anything other than loyalty to their village.

But she was of the Water Tribes, and the need for emotional ties was in her blood.

The Waterbender needed family to feel complete, to feel alive.

If she ever lost them…

Kumiko had no idea what she would do.

* * *

Sliding through the shadows cast by the trees, Kumiko paused on the edge of a game trail, water trailing underneath her hands like a stalking snake.

The blonde boy, Rai, stopped at her side, electric blue eyes scanning the area fitfully.

"Relax." Kumiko soothed softly, noting his unease. "Where did you and Benjiro get attacked?"

"Me and Benny were waiting over there." Rai whispered, pointing across the path towards a small clearing, which was separated from a village market by a single line of trees and small boulders.

"I'll check it out." She stated, turning her head just in time to catch the momentary panic flash across Rai's face. "Stay here, and don't make a sound, no matter what."

Crossing the small dirt path, silent as the shinobi she was trained to be, Kumiko studied the little clearing just past the first line of trees.

It was only three or four yards wide, and heavily foliaged on one side.

Blood splattered the grass, dirt freshly gouged from a scuffle and the bark scraped from a few of the trees.

She frowned.

'This is too much damage to have been done by an animal not from the elemental nations…'

While a Platypus Bear could have, conceivably, caused that kind of wreckage, or even an only mildly-pissed Moose Lion, they were not found anywhere but the Earth Kingdom.

Normal bears were not found in this part of the forests, and the wolves that roamed nearby were neither big nor strong enough to gouge trees.

Besides, wolves would tear at the throat instead of making one clean gash on the arm.

Sunlight reflected off of something metallic, catching Kumiko's attention, and she crouched down to get a better look.

Her heart skipped a beat in dread.

Lying in the wild grass, innocent as a Lop-Eared Rabbit, was the bloodied blade of a scythe.

* * *

Flicking blood off the seamless blades of her Dao swords, Megumi turned cold amber eyes on the frightened, cowering soldiers of _Shinkiro no Mura_.

"Did you think we wouldn't find out that our supposed targets are children?" She questioned, deadly calm.

Sitting on a self-made boulder, Kana spun a kunai around her finger, expression blank.

"We ain't stupid, ya know. We were boun' ta figure it out." The brunette agreed, voice low and rough.

The twenty or so grown men collectively peed their pants.

Once they had jumped the two young boys, and wounded the larger of the pair, the two kunoichi had struck like vengeful spirits.

Neither of the children had been over ten years old.

Kana had made sure to cover their retreat, while Megumi had allowed her suppressed rage out through her blades instead of fire.

Now that the threat was neutralized, the Benders were slowly regaining control of their tempers so as to calmly analyze the situation.

Grabbing one of the men by the shirt collar, Megumi practically bared her teeth in anger.

"Why are you so intent on getting rid of those kids?"

For a moment, he seemed hesitant to answer, and she growled, a burst of flames escaping her clenched teeth.

"W-We had to! If we don't, he'll kill our families!"

Kana stood, slipping the kunai away.

"Who'll kill yer families?"

"Tadao-sama." The man admitted, relieved when Megumi released him.

The Firebender cursed inwardly.

'We left Genma-sensei alone with him!'

"Spread the word." She ordered, taking control. "No one is to leave their houses. We're going to go speak with Tadao-sama."

None of them argued, scurrying off to do as they were told, and Kana cracked her knuckles threateningly.

"Ready?"

Spinning her swords, Megumi slid them back into the scabbard with a nod.

"Come on. We've got a Jonin to save."

* * *

Seiji seemed almost resigned when Kumiko returned to the underground burrow, Rai struggling to keep up with the Waterbender's pace.

"You had to find out for yourself." He had said, reading her expression and knowing it was time. "If I had told you the truth before, you might not have believed me."

Looking into each of their faces, seeing sadness and guilt and pain, Kumiko turned back to Seiji with a determined expression of her own.

"I'm listening now. And I want to know the truth."

Sighing, the boy settled down in his seat, waiting for everyone else to sit before starting.

"Three years ago, my _otousan_, Tadao Dai, was the mayor of _Shinkiro no Mura_. He was the eldest of three sons, and inherited the title when my _ojiisan_ died."

Seiji gestured to the brunette girl and the blonde boy beside her.

"Yei and Rai are my close cousins, their uncle being the middle son, Tadao Kenji."

Here he paused, unsure how to continue.

"The youngest son is Tadao Manzo, the current mayor. _Shinkiro no Mura_ has a lot of influence, being so wealthy, and he always wanted to be in charge. When he was overlooked for the position when _ojiisan_ died…He changed."

Dread bubbled up in Kumiko's stomach at those two words, and she tried in vain to swallow it down.

"A few month after my father became mayor…He was assassinated."

Pain flashed across Seiji's dark violet eyes, but he hid it quickly.

"So Uncle Kenji was next in line, and took the title. No one suspected foul play; _otousan_ passed away in his sleep, through poison. A couple months later, so did Uncle Kenji."

Yei looked away, sniffling softly, and Rai leaned into her, giving comfort as well as receiving.

"But he still did not get the position. There was still another heir, an older cousin from the Earth Kingdom."

This time, Seiji motioned to the two Earthbenders, Tomoko and Benjiro.

"Their mother, Hana, was a non-Bender from Omashu. When Manzo realized that the position was given to a woman…"

A chill ran through the air, and nothing else needed to be said.

"He no longer hid what he was doing. He hired some rogue ninja and openly killed her, taking control of _Shinkiro no Mura_ by force. We only got away because a soldier loyal to my _otousan_ smuggled us out."

For a moment, Seiji looked older than his years, worn down by what had happened and the knowledge of what was yet to come.

Kumiko recognized the look in his eyes as her own only a few years before.

"We couldn't stand going too far, so we made this our new home and have to steal from the village to survive. The villagers have tried their best to help, but they fear him…"

An idea slowly formed in Kumiko's mind, and she frowned in thought.

"These rogue shinobi…where are they from?"

"They're nin from Sunagakure." Yei answered, confused. "About eight of them, I think."

For a moment, the Waterbender was sure her entire world ground to a halt.

'It wasn't a coincidence.'


	12. Chapter 12: One Person

The thin stone crumbled underneath her body, and Megumi flew out into the street, landing on the sharp debris and cutting open the back of her shoulders.

Agony shot down her spine as damaged skin was reopened, and the Firebender grit her teeth to keep in a scream while shoving herself upright.

Skidding on the ground, Kana hissed at the deep gashes littering her crossed forearms, the metal guards shattered despite her efforts.

With a stomp of her foot, a rock wall was raised from the ground, blocking the earth dragon that tried to swallow the two Benders whole.

"Get up, hothead." The Earthbender ordered, punching their defense into a deadly projectile at the attacking shinobi. "We ain't done fer yet."

"Some parts of me would beg to differ." Megumi grumbled, shaking herself off and standing.

Facing down seven of the nin that had ambushed them, she sighed, rolling her shoulders and wincing at the sting as the cuts were pulled.

"Any ideas?" The Firebender wondered, igniting fire in her hands.

"Smash 'em till 'ey stop movin' sounds good."

Megumi rolled her eyes.

"Of course it does."

A kunoichi started flying through hand signs, and both Benders tensed.

"I go high, you go low."

"Aye-Aye, captain."

Fountains of mud shot from the ground like pressurized water from an angry Waterbender, and Megumi jumped out of the way, shooting off streams of fire while Kana stopped the attack with both hands and threw it back.

With the Earth-Type users caught in a deadly game of catch, Megumi was faced with four opponents, two of which were the shinobi that had gotten the better of Kumiko the last time.

She planned on getting some retribution.

* * *

Kumiko's heart was racing faster than it ever had before.

Every beat was a separate, chaotic thought.

'Are they alright?'

'Did they make it?'

'Are they in danger?'

'Will I be too late?'

'Will I fail again?'

The last drove her faster, trees blurring with the speed of her running, and instinct was the only thing that kept her from crashing.

Jumping up and over a moss-covered boulder, Kumiko took a moment to check the deserted streets before racing on.

She would not let them die.

* * *

Stopping on the edge of a small clearing, Fubuki turned her head to the left, spotting a village beyond the line of trees there.

A sound caught her attention, and her ears cocked forward in surprise.

With a loud, ground-rumbling growl, the Polar Bear Dog leapt into action.

She would not let anyone hurt Kumiko.

* * *

Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Kana side-stepped a flurry of kunai, sending a pillar of earth out to ward off the charging kunoichi heading towards her.

The battle was drawn-out, with neither side giving ground or dropping their defense, and the Earthbender was feeling the beginnings of fatigue.

Megumi was not fairing any better, facing down worse odds, and was littering with bruises, though she was determined not to let that poisoned whip land a hit.

The moment that poison entered her bloodstream…

Dodging a well-aimed kunai, the Firebender grunted as a meaty fist slammed into her torso, sending Megumi flying off her feet from the force.

Agony crippled her senses as she landed, back burning with sluggish wounds, vision blurring with reflexive tears…

Willing her senses to stop rattling around like dice in a cup, Megumi was left staring up at one of the shinobi wielding a kunai, fully prepared to stab her in the heart.

She braced herself for death-Water slammed into the man's chest, sending him tumbling back, and Megumi looked back to see Kumiko standing there, water swirling around her hands.

The Waterbender had never looked so enraged before.

The whip-wielding ninja, confident from his last victory, sent his weapons swinging towards the white-haired girl's head in a clear move to decapitate her.

Leaning back until her torso was parallel with the ground, the blades missed by a scant inch, and Kumiko spun back upright before her opponent could regain control.

Condensing water in her hands, she shot the ball and struck him perfectly in the chest, freezing the liquid so it pinned the boy's arms to his sides.

He hit the ground hard, and the other four shinobi looked from him to the angry Waterbender in growing trepidation.

Kumiko glared back, body unnaturally still.

The calm before the storm.

"Stay _away_ from my friends."

Three rapid-fire water bullets struck the four nin down, freezing them to the ground or to adjacent buildings, before Kumiko turned and sent a wave that knocked the three Earth-Release kunoichi over.

Taking the opening this provided, Kana shackled their wrists and ankles to the ground with rock.

With the threat neutralized, the Earthbender slowly began to realize what had happened as the adrenaline ebbed.

"Sweet'eart! Yer a'right!" She shouted, still breathless.

"We thought…" Megumi started, relieved and guilty.

'We thought we'd lost you…'

Checking over both of her teammates, frowning at their wounds, Kumiko's darkening blue eyes narrowed.

"Where's Genma-sensei?"

At that moment, the town hall behind them exploded in a shower of stone and dust, revealing said Jonin through the rubble.

He was rather battered, one sleeve torn off and headband ragged around the edges, and Kumiko's eyes darkened to a deadly shade of night sky.

The Suna Jonin had no idea what was about to hit him.

Mid-charge, a fully grown Polar Bear Dog pounced on him with a snarl, ripping into his shoulder with sharp fangs.

Shocked by the sudden display, Genma could only gape like a fish as Kumiko stepped forward, pulling Fubuki off the delirious shinobi.

Staring into her stormy eyes, Genma realized that he had never seen them so dark.

"Chiyo-sama?"

Seemingly ignoring him, Kumiko stalked by him, heading straight for the cowering Manzo as her animal guide went back to Kana and Megumi, pacing.

He had clearly not expected such an explosive display of Ninjutsu, or had just not expected his hired goons to lose so suddenly.

Either way, he was shaken, mask broken to reveal the insecure, trembling coward beneath.

In that moment, Kumiko had no mercy left to care.

Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she hefted the pudgy man up and glared, the very embodiment of righteous fury.

"You call yourself a leader?" She growled. "What sort of leader terrorizes his village into silence? What sort of leader turns on his family for power?"

Pain and anger warred in her chest, but it was the rage that made itself known in her aura.

"What sort of man hunts down children, and feels no guilt for killing his own brothers?"

"Pl-Please, don't kill me…" Manzo begged, sweating profusely. "I'll give you anything you want, just don't kill me!"

With a strength no one expected, Kumiko lifted him clear off the ground by his collar.

"You think that anything can make what you did _right_?" The Waterbender demanded. "You turned on your _family_! You killed the only people in this world that would always love you!"

"Kumiko-chan…"

Anger evaporating more quickly than a shallow puddle under the summer sun, she turned her head to see Tomoko's wide green eyes filling with tears.

Slowly lowering Manzo, the young Avatar searched all five of their faces.

They were so tired…

Facing the so-called mayor of Shinkiro no Mura, she scowled.

"But I won't let you hurt them anymore."

With that, Kumiko dropped him and began to walk away, rage settling like a disgruntled beast deep in her chest.

Seiji was the first one to spot the blade his uncle pulled from an inner shirt pocket.

"NO!"

Kumiko turned just in time to watch that blade sink into the boy's heart instead.

Megumi and Kana jerked forward on instinct, already knowing it was too late, and Genma blocked the other children from getting any closer as Fubuki howled.

Frozen, Kumiko could only stare as Seiji toppled to the ground, coughing up blood as Manzo glared.

"Stupid boy."

That was all she could take.

With a violent thrust of her palm, water struck him in the chest and sent Manzo into a wall, freezing into spikes that threatened to pierce his throat.

Kneeling by Seiji's side, Kumiko turned the boy onto his back, gloving her hand in water and pressing it to the gushing wound.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright." She assured, tears stinging her eyes. "Just hold on for a little longer, and you'll be just fine…"

Kana turned away, fists clenched, and Megumi closed her eyes after hearing the words the Earthbender muttered to herself.

"She's lyin'."

Blood dripping from his mouth, Seiji grabbed her wrist in a weak hold, tugging to bring Kumiko's attention away from his bleeding chest.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as the young kunoichi recognized the look in his eyes.

He was ready to die.

"T-Take…care of…th-them…"

Seiji choked on his own blood, and Kumiko closed her eyes as his heart gave one last beat…

And stopped.

Reaching up, she used her bloody fingers to draw a moon symbol on the boy's forehead, not needing to look.

"May the moon light your way and the ocean pull you true." She whispered.

It is a common Water Tribe prayer to help ease the passing of a soul, calling on the Moon and Ocean Spirits to lead a person across the threshold into the afterlife.

Fubuki pressed against her back, whimpering softly, and a sob caught in her throat.

Standing, ignoring the blood staining her clothes and hand, she faced her team.

"They're coming with us." Kumiko stated firmly, the set of her jaw showing that she would not be dissuaded.

"Chiyo-sama, they are orphans of another village." Genma reasoned, solemn. "You can't just take them."

Looking down and away, she found four teary pairs of eyes staring back, heartbroken but hopeful.

Her eyes.

"Then I'll adopt them." She replied, throat choked with emotion.

All it takes is one person.

* * *

"What are we going to do with them?" Megumi wondered, keeping sharp amber eyes on their eight prisoners.

Kana was a few yards away amusing the children with mud faces, which seemed rather popular, with Fubuki curled around the four small backs for security and warmth.

Genma, Megumi and Kumiko sat on a log not too far off, watching them while cooking dinner and guarding the beaten shinobi.

"They're rogue nin from Sunagakure." Genma clarified, chewing thoughtfully on a senbon. "As allies, we should return them to Suna for sentencing."

"That's far out of our way." Megumi noted, augmenting the flames as Kumiko turned the meat. "What do you think, Kumiko?"

Pausing thoughtfully, the white-haired girl sat back on her haunches.

Was it a good idea to go?

Something inside her said 'yes'.

"I think we should." The Waterbender stated, smiling brightly. "It might be fun!"


	13. Chapter 13: Destined

Their journey across the desert had proved a challenge, mainly because Kana's Seismic Sense did not work as clearly on the sand.

While Kumiko watched over their four young charges and Genma guarded a prisoner-laden Fubuki, Megumi was left with the task of leading a blind, irate Earthbender by the hand.

By the time the group had reached Sunagakure, Kana had personally threatened to shove rocks in particularly-uncomfortable orifices if the guards took any longer to take the prisoners and let them in.

After scolding the brunette for being so testy, Kumiko had managed to smooth things over and get them through the gate.

Megumi deduced it was her position as the Hokage's daughter; keeping her out after she had already been given permission by the Kazekage would likely cause some sort of political upset.

A hotel room had been provided, one large enough to house all eight of them, and after dropping off their cargo, Kumiko had gone off to explore.

Perhaps Megumi was just being paranoid, but she did not like the idea of leaving her unprotected…

Fate decided to prove her wrong.

* * *

Gaara felt something shift, almost imperceptible but powerful, like the beginnings of a sandstorm in the distant desert.

Turning away from the horizon to scan the streets below, he felt Shukaku uncurl in the back of his mind, having sensed the change and become curious.

That's when he saw her.

She was walking down the street, face tilted skyward and arms crossed behind her back, long white hair loose and swaying with each step.

Unable to tear his eyes away, Gaara slowly relaxed, taking in her appearance more closely.

The girl was not from his village, though her hair color was proof enough of that; her light blue tank top and white cut-offs were not normal desert wear, not to mention the _hitai-ite_ tied around her thigh, which held the spiral leaf symbol of Konoha instead of the hourglass engraving of Sunagakure.

Then she stopped and looked up at him, and Gaara was trapped.

Her eyes were the clearest, brightest blue he had ever seen, like an oasis at sunset.

For a few breathless moments, the emptiness was gone.

A sound caught her attention, and she turned her head in surprise to see what had caused it.

With the contact broken, Gaara was jolted back to reality and teleported into an alley to hide, heart stuttering along at breakneck speeds.

Confused by the strange feelings the Konoha kunoichi inspired in him, the Jinchuriki peered into the street.

She was scanning the rooftops, biting her lower lip, before a movement in another nearby alley drew her focus safely away from the conflicted demon of Suna.

Watching the wayward angel (because nothing else so untainted could possibly exist, not in this world), Gaara wondered why the old urge to crush her was not present.

He had never seen another being and not wanted to squeeze the life from their body to prove his existence.

Was it because, when he had looked into those eyes…

She already had?

"Oh, you poor baby…" She cooed softly, voice gentle and soothing like running water, and it immediately set Gaara at ease.

Crouched in front of the other alley, she extended a hand towards a creature he was unable to see from his vantage point, this beautiful little smile on her face.

"Come on, little one…I won't hurt you…"

Very slowly, a skinny little cat inched out of hiding, favoring a hind leg and looking wary.

The fur was matted so thoroughly with sand that the feline seemed brown, and ribs were firmly pronounced from starvation.

Instead of pulling back when the tabby lashed out with sharp claws, like anyone else would when faced with outright aggression, the angel held her ground and reached forward.

The cat went still as her knuckles brushed against it's cheek in a caress, gently stroking the dirty fur and gaunt face.

Sand shifted around Gaara's feet anxiously, and he tensed, eyes riveted on the little threat for any sign of aggression.

If that cat hurt her…

With a purr, the tabby rubbed back, moving forward and into her arms like they had come to some sort of understanding.

Cradling the creature to her chest like a precious treasure, she stood up and scratched under it's chin gently.

As she hummed an unfamiliar tune, the girl turned to head back the way she had come.

Letting out a sigh, the red-haired demon of Suna prepared to leave, resigned to the fact that this would likely be his only glimpse of the light…

Except she stopped after only a few steps, looking over her shoulder and staring straight at him with those bright oasis eyes.

She seemed to be peering through his soul, searching for something, and Gaara wondered what she would find.

Then she gave this dazzling little smile, like everything was alright now, and continued on her way without having to say a word.

Watching her go, Gaara was frozen in place, not knowing what to do.

'_**Go on, boy.**_' Shukaku urged without the usual bloodlust. '_**Don't let her get away.**_'

The sand in his gourd shifted, encouraging him, and Gaara was set in motion.

He would not let his angel get away.

* * *

Pushing Fubuki's inquisitive nose away, Kumiko cooed softly to ease the poor cat's nerves while wrapping a towel around the shivering little body.

After a long bath, which was a challenge at the beginning, the tabby was revealed to have bright red fur instead of sandy brown, with wide green eyes and a white mouth, like he had just gotten into the cream.

The tabby made her think of…

Huffing, Fubuki pushed her nose towards the cat's, and both animals went still, as if sizing up the situation.

Kumiko held her breath, not wanting to set either of them off since she was holding the cat and the Polar Bear Dog was likely to pounce if she was hurt.

The tension was broken when Fubuki licked the tabby's nose in greeting, giving a purr-growl to show she was not going to cause harm.

A hesitant purr was given back, and the feline licked Fubuki's nose in return.

Relaxing, Kumiko stood up from the bathroom floor, holding the tabby close as she walked into the main room.

There was a kitchenette attached, with a sink full of dishes from dinner, and the rest had a couch, coffee table, and a nicely-stocked bookshelf.

Once she placed the small cat on the smooth tile and left Fubuki to watch him, Kumiko went down the hallway again, passing the bathroom and stopping outside the first door on her left.

Opening the obstacle a crack, she peered in to see Genma sleeping soundly in bed, sprawled on his stomach and, thankfully, without a senbon in his mouth.

Closing the door soundlessly, the Waterbender went on to the next door, peeking inside to see both Megumi and Kana were also safe in bed, the latter snoring like a Sky Bison and the other with a pillow held firmly over her head.

Amused, Kumiko stepped away and opened the last door.

The two beds within were pushed together, and all four children were in a tangled mess on top, barely covered by the sheets.

Benjiro was sprawled on his back, with Tomoko using his stomach as a pillow while hugging her own like teddy bear, snoring louder than Kana.

Yei was curled up underneath Tomoko's legs, while Rei was hanging dangerously off the bed, drooling an entire lake onto the sheets.

Smiling, the young Avatar slipped inside.

Retrieving blankets from the floor, she proceeded to cover each child with one, hoping to ward off the chill of a desert night.

Tomoko's snores died down as a warm hand brushed against her forehead, and Rei's open mouth was softly closed to prevent a thorough soaking by morning.

With her job done, Kumiko left them to sleep, returning to the semi-dry cat and the passive Polar Bear Dog in the main room.

Scooping up the skinny feline, she hummed soothingly to ease his jumpy nerves and sat on the couch.

Put at ease, the tabby purred and rubbed against her stomach, curling into a ball as Fubuki dropped down at her feet.

"What am I gonna call you?" Kumiko wondered aloud, scratching behind a shaggy red ear so the object of her musings purred more loudly.

Eyes half-lidded with exhaustion despite the moon's fullness, her thoughts drifted to the strange boy on the rooftop…

"I think I'll call you Tomo." She stated, looking down at those wide green orbs that nearly matched the color of the ones in her mind's eye. "Do you like it?"

The tabby shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'whatever', and Kumiko quirked an eyebrow, chuckling.

"Ah, the silent type, huh? I see how it is."

Purring in an attempt to soothe her supposed ire, Tomo reached up to rub his head against her neck, tail flicking softly as if to apologize.

Fubuki huffed in amusement, rolling onto her side, one ear cocked conspicuously towards the window.

Understanding the signal, Kumiko looked out the window, where moonlight drifted through like sand through an hourglass.

"What do you think, Ki-chan?"

Lifting her head to follow her owner's gaze, the canine made a nodding motion and levered herself up.

As she followed suit, the Waterbender placed Tomo on her shoulders, smiling brightly.

For some reason, Kumiko could not help but be excited.

* * *

Gaara could not help but be confused.

He had never felt so strongly about anyone in years, and the only emotion that had ever come close was the hatred that had been born the night he killed Yashamaru.

It could not possibly be hatred, though; hatred burned through his blood and made Shukaku anxious, splitting his skull with migraine-inducing demands for blood.

This was calming, like meditation, and the sand raccoon was almost content, purring in the back of his container's mind.

There was no logical explanation for it, just the deep sense of knowing that she was his.

The possibility alone made his heart pick up speed.

Could she really be his?

His own little angel?

'_**Of course she is, boy.**_' Shukaku voiced, making his presence known. '_**She's ours, and nothing will ever change that.**_'

Comforted, Gaara jerked slightly when he saw movement a few yards away.

There she was, as if his thoughts had conjured her into existence, sitting down at the edge of the roof.

A massive white canine settled behind her, flicking the red tabby with it's tail when said feline batted at the appendage.

Even though the dog could likely swallow that poor cat without needing to chew, it allowed the smaller feline to climb onto it's back with little more than a huff.

His angel only spared the animals a glance and a smile before turning back to the moon, hugging her knees close.

It was almost like she was waiting for someone…

"You can come over here, if you want."

Gaara froze as her eyes turned towards him, surprised.

No one else had ever been able to catch him like this.

"I'm gonna be up all night, anyway." She stated, voice gentle and soothing. "I wouldn't mind some company."

Gaara was deeply conflicted; he very much wanted to get closer, but there was a part of him, the sad little boy inside, that was afraid of rejection.

'_**What are you waiting for, boy?**_' Shukaku pressed, growing impatient. '_**Go!**_'

Spurred into action, Gaara approached slowly, hesitant.

His angel was silent until he settled a couple of feet away on the ledge, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Chin resting on her bent knees, she seemed completely relaxed, unthreatening.

"My name's Kumiko." She introduced herself, smiling. "But I prefer Mimi, no matter what Ebisu-baka says about it not being grown-up enough. What's your name?"

Not having expected such obvious kindness, though he should have known after a few hours of surveillance that it was her nature, the demon of Suna faltered for a moment.

"…Gaara."

As if sensing his unease, Kumiko pulled the focus of the conversation back on herself to take away any pressure.

"And this is Fubuki, my Polar Bear Dog." She said, turning towards the large canine with a smile. "She's my best friend, aren't you Ki-chan?"

The canine lifted her upper body up with an affirmative growl, nuzzling into her girl's chest before resting her head in Kumiko's lap.

Gaara was curious now.

He had been under the impression that best friends were people that someone chose to devote large segments of time to, not a pet.

Kumiko seemed to read the question in his eyes, despite Gaara's attempts to hide it.

She was more perceptive than he was used to.

"Best friends don't have to be people, Gaara-kun."

Said Jinchuriki's heart leaped at the familiar suffix added to his name.

"Best friends are whoever you're close with. There's no rules about who you can be close with."

Noticing his wide-eyed surprise, Kumiko frowned slightly in confusion.

"Gaara-kun?"

His heart jumped again, and he cursed it's nervous antics.

Something must have shown in his eyes, because his angel seemed to realize what the problem was.

"Oh, _gomen_!" She apologized, cheeks reddening. "I-I didn't mean to speak so familiarly and make you uncomfortable! I should have asked first, or-"

Struggling for words, Kumiko looked away, face burning, as the tabby mewed softly and rubbed against her stomach.

"_Gomen_…I'm not very good at this…"

"…It's alright."

Gaara immediately wanted to backtrack, self-conscious, but those oasis eyes turned back towards him.

"Really?" She wondered, hopeful.

"Yes." He replied softly, looking away in embarrassment. "I…I'm new to this, too."

"Maybe…we could learn together?"

Gaara turned towards Kumiko, stunned.

Was she…?

Looking into her eyes, he realized that she was.

His heart did a flip, and the sad little boy inside smiled for the first time.

"I…would like that."

Kumiko's smile was warm and bright, shining light into Gaara's dark world.

For once, he felt whole.

* * *

_**Tomo**_-twin

_**Fubuki**_-blizzard

* * *

Author's Note:

From July 7th to July 11th, I will be at the beach with my family and only using my computer to do work for my online class, so I won't really be writing. Since I'll be spending pretty much the entire time with my cousins, I won't be on the Internet as much as I usually am.

If I don't reply to your reviews or messages, don't panic; I'll probably just be having fun burying my cousin in the sand.

With that said, I hope you all have a great 4th of July!

P.S. I'll try to post one more chapter of 'When Waves Meet The Sand' before I go, but don't worry if I withhold. I try to only put up my best work, you know.^^


	14. Chapter 14: Monsters and Angels

Though he knew it was inevitable, Gaara hated being separated from his angel.

Only Kumiko had ever managed to make the pain go away, to make him forget that he was a monster…

But to stay near her after sunrise meant to face her team, and while Gaara would never admit it, he was intimidated by the thought.

If they rejected him…

Would Kumiko?

That alone was enough to make the Jinchuriki retreat, wary of old pain.

Still, Gaara resolved to watch over his angel in secret, feeling worry for another human being for the first time.

Kumiko was so small and fragile…

Surely she would be injured by the resident Genin if the cruel creatures ever got it into their heads to harm her…

Gaara would not let anyone hurt his angel.

* * *

The sun was desert-hot, waves of heat rolling up off the sand and distorting the air.

Kumiko wished for a moment to be in the South Pole again, with frigid air stinging her cheeks and her breath fogging on the wind.

Shaking the daydream away, guilty, she turned slightly to watch the children play.

Rei and Yei were on the swings, laughing and screaming in delight as they tried to swing higher than each other, while Tomoko and Benjiro were a safe distance away, manipulating the sand to make faces at each other.

Tomoko could not stop laughing, green eyes bright, and even Benjiro was unable to keep a small smile off his face.

Smiling gently, Kumiko settled down on a bench and sighed, beginning to relax…

Tomoko cried out in surprise, and Kumiko jerked upright as Benjiro literally growled.

A squad of Genin, proudly wearing Sunagakure _hitai-ite_, had arrived without Kumiko noticing, and one of the boys had smashed the little blonde girl's sand construct cruelly.

"There's no place for monsters here!" The kunoichi sneered, shoving Tomoko over harshly.

Already on her feet, Kumiko's teeth ground together in outrage.

_No one_ hurt her kids.

Eyes darkening, the Waterbender stalked forward, the corks popping out of the pouches strapped securely to her back.

The other boy, dark-haired and rather tall, pulled back his arm-

A wave struck him in the chest, sending the Genin tumbling head-over-heels, and Tomoko looked up, teary-eyed.

"_O-Okaasan_…"

Before the other two Suna nin could react to the sudden, pressurized spheres of water knocked them clear off their feet.

All three looked up, suddenly terrified, at the tranquil fury of a master Waterbender.

"Don't-Touch-My kids."

* * *

For hours, Kumiko had been watching the young ones play, relaxed and happy, her aura brushing against the edge of Gaara's senses and soothing him in return.

When he saw the squad enter the park and make a course for two of her charges, Gaara did not care to interfere.

He was there to protect his angel, not anyone else.

But when the younger girl's sand construct was demolished, he immediately noticed a change in Kumiko.

She was suddenly upright and tense, eyes locked on the perpetrators in frozen incomprehension.

It was the kunoichi's words that made his angel's eyes darken to a midnight shade, and her aura turned cold as a desert night with outrage.

The sudden transformation from warm, caring angel to deadly, vengeful spirit nearly made Gaara's head spin.

Regaining his senses once the Suna Genin were knocked down, the sand swirled up, transporting the Jinchuriki between the threat and his clearly-enraged angel.

His presence alone terrified the trio, who scrambled to their feet and retreated a few feet for a false sense of security.

Infuriated that they had upset Kumiko, Gaara's eyes narrowed in a deadly warning.

"Leave."

The boys, at least, seem more than willing to do just that.

It was the kunoichi that ignored her survival instincts and faked bravery.

"We don't take orders from _bakemono_!"

That word struck a raw, bleeding nerve, and his heart constricted like it had taken a physical blow.

_Bakemono_…

Monster…

He would always be a monster…

"You take that back!"

Jarred back to reality, Gaara turned to stare at Kumiko in surprise, noticing how dark her eyes had become.

"Gaara-kun is not a monster!" She shouted, the faint tattoo of koi fish on the backs of her hands beginning to glow. "Take it back!"

The kunoichi, not sensing the growing danger, held her ground.

"No!"

"_Take it back_, or I'll…I'll…"

Closing her eyes, fists clenched as the tattoos glowed brighter, a wave of power escaped her body as wind surrounded the white-haired girl with a growing roar.

It was like standing in the midst of a sandstorm, feeling helpless against the brunt of nature's power, and it made Gaara's skin tingle as Shukaku shifted in the back of his mind, strangely concerned.

Finally getting the hint, the trio of Genin beat a hasty retreat, but the wind only howled more fiercely, uncontained.

From his position, Gaara felt the wind brush gently over him, like a soft breeze instead of the harsh gusts that he had been expecting.

"Kumiko."

The glow died slowly, and the wind gave one last, soft howl before following suit.

Opening her eyes as the power ebbed, Kumiko looked up, eyes dazed.

Gaara relaxed at the familiar oasis color staring back at him.

After searching him for a long moment, soothing the raw wound in his heart, her gaze turned away as a blonde blur attached itself to her hip, crying.

Shushing the child quietly, Kumiko lifted her up with one arm, wiping away the tears.

"It's alright, _amai_…It's alright…"

Gaara watched the scene curiously, mind racing to understand what had happened.

Kumiko had put herself in harm's way to protect that little girl.

Why?

Why would she go out of her way to keep these children safe?

Why would she defend him?

Looking into her eyes, Gaara found an emotion that he was unfamiliar with, something warm and intense and gentle.

Was that…?

Shukaku purred as soft, warm fingers threaded through his, the sand not even twitching to stop the contact.

Bright oasis eyes looked up at him, grateful.

"Thank you, Gaara-kun."

Heart twisting happily, his grip tightened on her hand, palm tingling from the touch.

"Are they…precious to you?" Gaara wondered, stumbling over the word.

"_Hai_." She answered without hesitation. "If they had been hurt…"

Gaara's eyes narrowed in thought, brain whirring.

He did not want Kumiko to be hurt.

If the people precious to her were in danger, she would be hurt defending them.

So, to protect Kumiko was to protect her precious people and keep them happy.

…

Shukaku just would _not_ stop laughing.

And what did he mean by 'whipped'?

* * *

_**bakemono**_-monster

_**amai**_-sweet


	15. Chapter 15: First Impressions

When Kumiko knocked on the hotel room door, Gaara had the sudden urge to run as far away as he could.

The last thing he wanted to do was meet new people.

The only thing keeping the Jinchuriki from making a break for it was the happy smile Kumiko sent his way, soothing the boy's nerves.

All four children rushed in once the door opened, three chattering excitedly about something or other, as an older girl stood in the doorway.

She blinked once in surprise, most likely not have expected him, before sharp gold eyes turned to Kumiko in question.

"_Konichiwa_, Meg-chan." Kumiko greeted her teammate, smiling. "This is Gaara-kun, a new friend."

The sturdiness of her shoulders slowly melted, and the elder redhead raised an eyebrow coolly.

"Really, now? That was fast."

Turning to address him, the kunoichi nodded in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you, Gaara-san."

That was it.

No questions, no disgust, no hint of suspicion.

Gaara was caught off-guard.

Still smiling, Kumiko pulled him inside, where Fubuki was sprawled on the floor with Tomo and a small brunette on the couch was being smothered by excited children.

"A'right, munchkins, 'at's enough. Go play wit' the dog or somethin'."

Fubuki sat up, tail wagging excitedly, and rolled easily onto her back when Rei and Tomoko tackled her in a hug.

Gaara was fairly sure Tomo rolled his eyes at the Polar Bear Dog's antics.

"Yo." The blindfolded kunoichi greeted lazily, standing. "Name's Kana. Yer the one that kept sweet'eart company last night, right?"

Tensing, the Jinchuriki wondered if it was too late to run.

"How did you…?"

"Bein' blind's gotta 'ave _some_ perks." Kana replied casually, shrugging.

Of all the reasons Gaara had thought of for the girl's covered eyes, _that_ had not been one of them.

"I should probably get dinner out of the fridge..." Kumiko noted, already moving towards the kitchenette. "Make yourself at home. I'll just be a sec."

Once she was out of earshot, Gaara looked towards her teammates, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Though he had resolved to protect Kumiko's precious people, he had no idea what to do.

Would they tolerate him?

Would they convince Kumiko not to be his friend?

"Jeez, relax." Kana muttered. "We ain't gonna bite. Sit down. I wanna talk wit' ya."

Hesitant at first, he walked over to the couch and took a seat, noticing how Benjiro was herding the other kids down the hall and Fubuki had slunk into the kitchen with Kumiko.

'**That**_** can't be a good sign.**_' Shukaku noted, half-amused.

Kana sat on the other end of the couch, relaxed as can be, while Megumi perched on the armchair, calm and collected.

"Ya need ta know that sweet'eart 'as had it rough. She deserves ta be 'appy."

"Whether you intend to harm her or not, know that if it happens, we won't have a choice but to kill you."

For a moment, Gaara thought they were kidding.

Looking into each of the girls' faces, he realized they weren't.

"You would die." He stated matter-of-factly, knowing it was true.

"So?" Kana replied dismissively.

That one word shocked Gaara almost as much as Kumiko's smile had the day before.

"If we die, we die. Ain't gonna cry o'er it. But we'd take someone down wit' us, I can tell ya that much."

Gaara had never met someone who did not fear death; anyone who had ever been trapped in his Sand Coffin had begged for life, to not cross the threshold into the afterlife.

Some had stopped begging, stopped struggling, but they had not let go of their terror.

Even without seeing her eyes, he knew that Kana had no fear of dying as surely as he knew that Kumiko would defend her precious people with her life.

He did not understand the why's or how's, but the end result was the same.

"It's not that we don't trust Kumiko's judgment." Megumi stated, lowering the tension. "But she is our friend as well as our teammate. We worry."

Slowly relaxing, the Jinchuriki nodded.

This strange affection, this 'friendship', was clearly a two-way street; Megumi and Kana would just as quickly jump to Kumiko's defense as his angel would do theirs.

Perhaps it would not be so bad, knowing she was being protected even if he himself was not around.

"Are you two threatening him?" Kumiko accused, still hidden in the kitchen.

"Define 'threaten'." Kana replied, smirking.

"Saying you're going to crush, burn, maim, or kill someone."

"Ah, ya got me!" The little brunette admitted cheekily. "What can I say? I'm incorrigible."

"I'm surprised you even known the word." Megumi voiced, a smile tugging at her mouth.

"Oh, shut yer yap, hothead."

Gaara looked between the two kunoichi, confused.

Why were they making fun of each other?

Weren't they friends?

"That's enough, you two." Kumiko ordered, arms crossed and hip cocked, framed by the kitchen's empty doorway. "Isn't it enough that you've traumatized all my other friends? Leave Gaara-kun alone!"

His heart warmed at the thought that she was defending him from her friends.

"A'right, a'right." Kana conceded, settling more firmly in her seat. "No need ta shout."

"We were only informing Gaara of the boundaries." Megumi added reasonably.

Tomo jumped onto the white-haired girl's shoulder, hissing softly at the two kunoichi as if sensing his new owner's upset, and rubbed against her cheek with a purr.

The tension of her shoulders eased, and she reached up to scratch behind the tabby's ears.

"If you two are done harassing him, I'd like Gaara-kun to join me in the kitchen while I work on dinner."

Even Shukaku urged him to go, so Gaara stood up, seeing a smirk cross Kana's face out of his peripheral.

"Don't do anythin' I wouldn't do, sweet'eart."

Kumiko's cheeks flushed red, and Gaara found her embarrassed indignation endearing.

"Kana!"

* * *

Genma sighed, rolling his shoulders to stretch out the tension.

After a lengthy discussion with the Kazekage, the Jonin was left with a headache and another squad of shinobi to lead back to Konohagakure.

How he kept getting stuck with babysitting duty, he would never know…

Ready for a hot meal and a long nap, Genma opened the hotel room door and froze.

Kumiko was in the kitchenette, finishing up dinner (a stew of some kind, with buttery bread and what seemed like stir-fry), while Megumi sat on the couch, calmly reading her book for what must have been the fourth time that day.

Kana was lounging next to her, napping soundly.

There was a commotion from the far bedroom down the hall, signaling where the children were most likely holed up with Fubuki.

None of this was strange, nor what surprised Genma.

Sitting at the kitchen table was an unfamiliar red-haired boy.

He seemed to be having a staring contest with Tomo, who was lying down and flicking his tail as if highly amused, and the boy frowned at the cheeky feline.

Genma was fairly certain his headache had gone off and brought back a migraine.

"Genma-sensei!" Kumiko voiced, turning to him with a smile. "Are you hungry? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"I'm a little more curious about your new friend." Genma admitted, ignoring his disagreeing belly.

"Oh, right! This is Gaara-kun. We ran into each other at the park today, and I invited him to eat with us."

Eyebrow rising, the Jonin looked towards Megumi.

As the more logical and wary of the group, he was surprised she had not objected.

"I trust Kumiko's judgment." The Firebender stated, not even looking up to know her cue. "He has not shown any ill intentions, and the animals seem to like him. There's no reason not to trust him at this point in time."

"Right…" Genma muttered, rolling the senbon between his teeth thoughtfully. "I'll just go take a nap."

Heading for his designated bedroom, the Jonin sighed tiredly.

'Kids…'


	16. Chapter 16: Broken

Megumi stared blankly at the book sitting open on her lap, fingertips running softly over the words inked into the back cover by a Turtle Duck's feather.

'I will always be here when you need me, but never forget who you are. Your Uncle, Maro'

Below it, next to what seemed like a drawing of the Lotus tile from Pai Sho, was 'Happy Sixth Birthday, _Oojo_. Love you'

Chest tightening, Megumi took a deep breath, bandaged hands curling into fists as the sunset splashed warm colors across the page.

'Uncle…'

* * *

Kana lounged on the hotel bed, headband held loosely in one hand while a forearm was thrown tiredly over her blind eyes.

One leg flung over the edge, her toes tapped against the hard floor, making a picture buzz behind her lids.

It helped blocked out the images bubbling up from the vault in the back of her mind.

'_Be careful, sweetheart! You don't want to hurt yourself!_'

'_That was good! Yer learnin' fast!_'

'_Don't be so hasty! Patience, little one._'

'_Once, 'ere were two lo'ers from warrin' cities…_'

'_Never doubt yourself, sweetheart. You can't be the best without fighting for it._'

'_I lo'e ya, sugar. Ne'er forget 'at._'

'_Ya need at be stron', ya 'ear? Just keep goin', an' don't look back._'

'_Run!_'

'_KANA!_'

Teeth clenched, forearm pressed firmly against her closed eyes, Kana felt her heart batter itself against her ribcage like a raging Badgermole.

The creak of the plate in her _hitai-ite_ brought the Earthbender back to her senses, and she unclenched her fingers slowly, rubbing a thumb over the abused metal.

'_Kuso_…' She thought tiredly, rolling over and smothering herself with the nearest pillow. 'It ne'er ends…'

* * *

The blackness was comforting, like a thick Polar Leopard pelt and a warm fire in the middle of winter.

It brought back memories of a happier time, back when the weight of being the Avatar was more like a distant goal and the only thing to worry about was getting the chores done before dinner.

White snow and wind-smoothed icebergs slowly emerged from the darkness, and Kumiko could almost feel the chill of an arctic breeze on her cheeks.

Curling further into the warmth surrounding her, she smiled, feeling content for the first time in years…

_Plop_.

_Plop_.

_Plop_.

The sound roused her, and the Waterbender looked around, confused.

What was dripping?

A nightmare manifested before her eyes.

Water Tribe blue eyes met Water Tribe blue, blood staining the snow red.

"_Bijin_…"

The acrid smell of burning furs and cooking flesh filled her nose, and Kumiko choked on the horrible memory.

Vision blurring from tears, she felt her heart crack.

"_Run_."

Reality came rushing back with the force of a charging Sky Bison, and Kumiko jerked awake, cheeks damp with tears and chest aching.

"Kumiko…"

Sniffling softly, she looked up into Gaara's worried teal eyes, his warm hands cupping her cheeks and wiping away the salty liquid there.

Gaara had never seen anyone cry before (or, at least, had never cared before), and found he did not like it.

Even Shukaku, who would normally revel in the person's pain or laugh at Gaara's weakness, was antsy and telling his carrier to make her stop.

Seeking comfort, Kumiko wriggled into his guard, feeling Gaara tense as she settled on his lap, face buried in his neck and breathing growing steadily calmer.

Gaara, on the other hand, was having a panic attack on the inside.

She was touching him, holding onto him for comfort, with her hot breath fanning across his neck and her arms wrapped around his chest…

'_**What are you waiting for, boy?**_' Shukaku demanded, still agitated. '_**Hold her!**_'

Spurred into action, the Jinchuriki pulled her closer, as careful with her as with a piece of fragile glass.

Lulled by a strong sense of security, something she had never felt beyond the fatherly embraces of the Third, the Waterbender sighed as her entire body relaxed.

Urged on by the positive response, Gaara curled over her like the sand shield that defended him, nose buried in her soft white hair and inhaling the scent of vanilla and wilderness.

At that moment, having each other was enough.

* * *

_**ojoo**_-princess


	17. Chapter 17: It Begins

The day to leave Suna had arrived sooner than Kumiko would have liked.

Gaara had left the night before, saying he had something to do, and she had not seen or sensed him since.

Adjusting the packs on Fubuki's saddle, the Waterbender kept sending glances back into the village from where her team stood by the wall, ready to leave.

Tomo meowed softly, doing a figure-eight around her ankles and looking up at her with those too-familiar jade eyes.

Heart seizing on itself, Kumiko managed a smile and picked up the shaggy red cat with one arm.

"_Okaasan_?" Tomoko voiced, big green eyes innocent and worried.

"What is it, _amai_?" The white-haired Bender wondered, already scanning the area for threats.

"Are you upset because your boyfriend isn't here yet?"

The entire world ground to a halt.

"_N-Nani_?" Kumiko stuttered, blushing fiercely.

"I like Gaara-san." Tomoko continued, as if unaware of the older girl's embarrassment. "So do the others. Are you going to get married? And live in a big house with a yard for Ki-chan? Can we visit? Or are we going to live with you? Do you think Gaara-san would let me call him _otousan_? How about-?"

Kumiko covered the girl's mouth with both hands, blushing so hotly she was sure to be glowing.

"Momo!"

"Aw, why'd ya stop 'er?" Kana wondered, smirking. "She was 'bout ta get ta the good part."

"Kana!" Kumiko scolded, blush growing impossibly hotter.

Fubuki huffed in laughter, and hid behind her forepaws at the Waterbender's embarrassed glare.

Megumi sighed, chiding Rei and Yei for laughing with a glare while Benjiro shook his head, resigned.

Blush fading slightly, Kumiko turned back to her old task, Tomo climbing onto her shoulders for a better perch.

'I don't know where she got the idea.' She thought to herself, evening out the load mechanically. 'We've only known each other a few days! He probably doesn't even like me like that anyway. I don't even know if _I_ like him like that! I mean, he's definitely attractive, with that red hair and those light eyes and that little smile he sometimes has when no one else can see…'

Seeing where that train of thought was leading, Kumiko hit the brakes, blush returning with a vengeance.

'N-Not that I want to date or anything! Even though it felt really nice when he held me…'

"Kumiko?"

Yelping in surprise, she whipped around and came face-to-face with the boy that had consumed her thoughts.

"Gaara-kun!" She greeted, surprised by his sudden appearance.

Scanning the area again, Kumiko nearly winced as she realized that two older Suna Genin and a Jonin had also arrived without her noticing.

'Some ninja I am…'

"Are you coming with us?" She wondered, growing hopeful.

Genma had said another squad would be joining them on the way back, but she had not dared to think…

"Yes." Gaara replied, fighting down a smile at the joy filling Kumiko's face like dawn sunlight.

"That's great!"

Fubuki huffed in amusement, and Kumiko elbowed the pack-laden canine in the ribs as Tomo meowed softly in agreement with the Polar Bear Dog.

"So that's your team?" Kumiko deduced, looking towards the unfamiliar Genin.

The kunoichi was only a little older than Megumi, with dark blonde hair in four spiky pigtails and dark green eyes, a large black fan strapped to her back.

The other was taller, wearing all black, with purple face paint and a large wrapped container hanging from his shoulders on white bandages.

Gaara frowned as he looked towards them, not wanting to share his angel's affections.

"They are my siblings, Temari and Kankuro."

She blinked once in surprise.

"Really?"

When Kumiko looked more closely, she could see some similarities; the color of the eyes, the shape of the face.

But the way Gaara was acting had her concerned.

"You don't seem very happy about it, Gaara-kun."

The Jinchuriki sighed internally, having momentarily forgotten how perceptive his angel was.

"It's nothing."

A frown tugged at her mouth, so Gaara decided it was prudent to change the subject.

"You were thinking very deeply before. About what?"

Reminded of her budding attraction, Kumiko blushed deeply, scrambling to cover it up.

"Oh, nothing! I was just…um…Oh, look! Everyone's heading out! We should catch up!"

Confused by the sudden redness of her cheeks, Gaara allowed himself to be pulled along through the gate, thinking hard about what had caused the unexpected change.

Having very little social experience beyond the last few days, Gaara could not have known the promising turn his angel's thoughts had taken…

* * *

_**nani**_-what


	18. Chapter 18: Protect

Temari and Kankuro had never been so flabbergasted in their entire lives.

Their psychopathic, demon-inhabited, homicidal little brother…

Was being _nice_.

And not just nice, but _tolerant_, like he had all the patience in the world and nothing could bother him.

No one on the Konoha squad so much as twitched when he came near; in fact, most greeted him rather warmly, even the children.

Did they not know how dangerous Gaara was?

Did they not know that he could crush them at any moment?

But what truly shocked the elder Sand Siblings was how close the white-haired Genin, Kumiko, was to the Demon of Suna.

She always smiled around him, like she was _happy_ to see the cursed Jinchuriki of Sunagakure, and in turn, Gaara followed her like a watchful shadow the entire way across the desert.

Sharing a glance, Temari and Kankuro decided it was best to warn the foolish girl of what she was _really_ dealing with.

* * *

As the forest slowly thickened around them, leaves filtering the remaining sunlight down to a faint trickle, the two Jonin decided to make camp for the night.

Once Fubuki realized that it was time to rest, the Polar Bear Dog dropped heavily onto her stomach, whining tiredly as Tomoko and Rei leaped off, giggling.

"Oh, poor baby." Kumiko cooed, scratching behind a floppy white ear as Tomo jumped onto her shoulders with a purr. "Were they giving you trouble, baby girl?"

A softer whine, and Fubuki reached her head around, grabbing Yei by the back of her shirt and carefully depositing her on the grass.

Unhooking the multiple canteens and water skins from the saddle before the Polar Bear Dog unhooked herself and started rolling on the ground like Tomo the first time he had smelled catnip, Kumiko swung them over her shoulder with ease.

"I'm gonna refill these." She told Gaara, ignoring the persistent purring of Tomo against her neck. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Jade eyes narrowed in displeasure, clearly not wanting her out of his sight, but Gaara nodded anyway.

Shukaku had told him many times not to 'smother her', though he would start muttering about tsunamis and angry spirits whenever the Jinchuriki asked why.

Gaara decided it was best he was left unaware.

With one last smile, Kumiko turned and headed into the trees, following the gentle sound of a river that hummed through her blood like an age-old song.

She noticed the elder Sand Siblings following her a minute or two later, but said nothing; they were allies, and the Waterbender doubted that either would attack her.

If they did, it was a foolish idea.

Ambushing a master Waterbender right next to a rather sizable river was _not_ a bright idea.

Stopping at the water's edge, Kumiko swung the canteens and pouches onto the moist grass, unhappy with their lightness.

The children especially were not used to the desert heat, so she had been forced to use her Bending water to keep her team and pets hydrated.

Kumiko had been uncomfortable about forgoing her main weapon.

If they had been attacked, what would she have done then?

Shaking the dark thoughts away, the young Avatar-in-training crouched down and grabbed the nearest canteen, unscrewing the top.

"Are you going to hide there until I'm done?" She wondered, aiming her question to the hidden Suna nin somewhere behind her.

Seemingly forgoing their attempt to remain unseen, Temari and Kankuro approached the preoccupied kunoichi in the open.

Glancing over her shoulder with a smile, Kumiko waved one hand over the water, lifting just the right amount into the air before placing it securely in the canteen and securing the top without looking.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Temari, at least, saw the display for what it was; a subtle display of her power and skill, a warning that she was not to be trifled with despite her warmth.

"We need to talk to you about Gaara." Kankuro started bluntly.

Kumiko blinked once in surprise, turning more towards them while opening the next canteen.

"What about Gaara-kun?"

Both Suna shinobi were floored.

'_GAARA-KUN_?'

The two shared a quick glance.

Things had progressed farther than they had thought.

"You should stay away from him." Temari advised. "He's dangerous. If you're not careful, he'll kill you."

She was completely unaware of Kumiko's sudden stillness, and the agitated swirling of the nearby water.

"Gaara is a monster."

"No, he's _not_."

Her steadfast conviction was so firm that the forest itself fell silent, giving assent to her words, eyes a dangerous dark blue that warned of the Waterbender's growing upset.

A chill went down their spines at the realization that Kumiko was much more dangerous than they had thought.

"Gaara-kun is my friend, and I won't let anyone call him names." Kumiko promised fiercely. "If you ever call him a monster again, _you will regret it_."

Stunned silence was her answer, and she turned away dismissively to continue filling the canteens and her pouches with water.

Kankuro would have been insulted if he was not so relieved.

* * *

Sitting beside the fire, Kumiko watched night fall over them like a shroud, the music of nocturnal birds and slinking predators humming at the edge of her senses.

Officially, it was Gaara's job to keep watch during the night, but the Waterbender found that the moon had not waned enough to allow for a good night's rest.

Said boy was sitting to her right, scanning the trees with a sharp efficiency, while Kumiko turned her own gaze inwards.

Fubuki was not too far off, acting as both a bed and blanket to their four young charges, and Tomo was securely held in a sleeping Yei's arms, still purring softy.

Kana had made a small earth tent, effectively cut off from everyone else, and Megumi was asleep, propped upright against the exposed rock with her arms crossed, swords laying across her lap and ready should anything happen.

Everyone else were in actual tents, economical little things that were quick to put together and take apart again.

Once sure that everyone else was alright, Kumiko sighed, rubbing some of the exhaustion from her eyes.

The most sleep she had gotten was a couple days before, when…

That damn blush started up again, like it had been waiting for this particular thought to resurface.

Forcing her cheeks to cool, Kumiko had to admit that there was only one thing to be done about her lack of sleep.

"Gaara-kun?"

Turning away from his scouting, Gaara immediately noticed the faint pink dusting her cheeks and wondered what she was thinking about.

"Could I…? I mean…"

Kumiko was quickly finding that there was no way to voice her request without being utterly embarrassed in the process.

Her blush intensified, but she pushed the words out.

"Could you…hold me?"

Gaara stared at her for a long moment, just the memory of her body pressed against his chest and her warm breath on his neck sensitizing his skin and burning his blood like the thrill of hunting down prey.

Why would she let herself be vulnerable like that again?

"Why?"

Kumiko looked up at him with those eyes, mildly confused.

"Why not?" She asked softly, preparing to be rejected.

"I'm a monster." The Jinchuriki growled, trying to hide the painful twist of his heart. "I could kill you in a moment. Why would you take that chance?"

The Waterbender frowned, a steel in her eyes that Gaara had never seen directed his way before.

"You are _not_ a monster." She growled back so fiercely that Gaara was distracted from the pain in his chest. "I don't care what anyone else says; you are my friend, and I know you would never hurt me."

Gaara could only stare, slowly taking in the determined set of her jaw and the fierceness in her darkened eyes.

"You…trust me?"

The strange, halting question deflated Kumiko's anger as she saw a flash of the vulnerable child in Gaara's eyes.

No one had ever trusted him before…

"Of course I trust you." The Waterbender replied, blue eyes lightening.

Gaara hesitated, but Shukaku was nudging at the back of his mind, telling him it was alright to trust her, out of everyone in the whole world…

Kumiko blinked, straightening, as Gaara purposely dropped off his haunches, opening himself up for anything she planned to do with him.

Touched by this show of faith, the young Avatar quickly situated herself between his parted legs, settling her back against the boy's chest.

Relaxing at the strangely comforting sensation of being caged in by his body, Kumiko sighed contently, leaning into his warmth.

Once the Jinchuriki had somewhat adjusted to her closeness, Gaara slowly wrapped both arms around his angel's waist, curling protectively around her like the shield of sand that guarded him.

As her breathing evened out, signaling a descent into sleep, she turned her head enough to see the boy's face and pressed an innocent kiss to Gaara's scar.

"You're the best, Gaara-kun…"

Wide jade eyes were trained on Kumiko's peaceful face as she finally gave in to exhaustion, chest bubbling with so many emotions he could not name.

One rose above the others, something like affection, and Gaara pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Shukaku growled possessively at his container's next thought.

'_Mine_.'

* * *

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, only a few tendrils of fiery light visible, Megumi woke up.

Her inner fire flared at the sudden, if weak, rush of power, and she sighed as it warmed her muscles.

Cracking her neck, the Firebender rolled her shoulders and glanced towards the campfire, subtly augmenting the embers back into proper flames.

After all, she thought rather wryly, Gaara seemed to have his hands full at the moment.

Kumiko was tucked safely against his body, both hands fully engulfed in his, sleeping peacefully despite the large moon.

Megumi had learned, through personal experience, how frightening it was for a Bender to have their hands restrained.

It was a rush of helplessness and panic that overrode all else, leaving only the frantic thought 'LET GO' in it's wake.

All but true master Benders, and perhaps Airbenders, are unable to fight without the use of their arms; to have your hands restrained at all was like a death sentence.

But there Kumiko was, completely relaxed and fast asleep, as if there was nothing wrong in her world at all.

Seeing this, Megumi felt a flash of hope.

Maybe…

A tent flap opened, and gold eyes flicked over to see it was Kankuro before closing, feigning sleep.

There was nothing for a moment, but then the Suna shinobi hesitantly began to make his way over to the fire, most likely disturbing the only sleep Kumiko was going to get until they reached Konoha.

Megumi could not allow it.

Sliding her sheathed swords into the boy's path, she scoffed when Kankuro tripped over it and fell hard on his face.

Judging by the hysterical laughter in the rock tent, Kana was awake enough to notice.

"My _sensei_ often tells me that ninja should be able to 'look beneath the underneath'." Megumi voiced dryly, sending the toppled nin a sarcastic glance. "I thought he meant that a ninja should be able to see through deception. Perhaps I was wrong."

The laughter grew louder, and Kankuro did his best to hide the mounting embarrassment with bluster.

"What would you know about being a ninja? You're just a stupid girl!"

Even Gaara, socially inexperienced and emotionally stunted as he was, knew that his foolish older brother should _not_ have said that.

In one fluid motion, both Dao swords were unsheathed, and Kankuro found himself flat on the ground, the blades crossed over his vulnerable neck and stabbed into the ground.

"Is that a challenge?" Megumi wondered idly, but anyone looking would have known better than to think she was calm.

A fire blazed in her eyes, crackled just under her palms, and Kankuro knew he was inches away from a very painful death.

"Cool it, hothead." Kana voiced, stepping out of her tent and placing it back with a stomp of her foot. "Ya want sweet'eart ta 'ave a fit o'er ya killin' one a 'em?"

The Firebender was silent for a few long moments, enough to make Kankuro sweat and Gaara wonder if she would decapitate him, before sighing.

"Killing was so much easier when there was a challenge in it." The red-haired kunoichi admitted, freeing her swords from the ground and standing as she sheathed them. "It felt more like survival."

"Don't get all philosophical on me, hothead." Kana warned light-heartedly, already making her way towards the fire. "Yer gonna give me a 'eadache 'fore noon."

"Your fault, for letting your mind become so rigid and slow." Megumi replied easily, rolling her eyes.

"'Ey, I'm an Earthben'er, not a frickin' philosopher." The small brunette shot back, grabbing a pack from Fubuki's forgotten saddle and pulling out rations for breakfast. "No one told me anythin' 'bout philosophy bein' a requirement fer ninja."

"I don't see how it could hurt." Megumi reasoned, sitting down calmly. "Being spiritually enlightened is a necessity for long life."

"Look, 'ere's two options when I got a problem; smash it wit' a rock till it stops movin', or smash it wit' a rock till it's dead. Anythin' else is just fer fun."

…

"Of course you would think like that. But what if you run into a problem that you can not fix by smashing it to pieces?" The Firebender wondered, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"Well, sometimes ya gotta prop somethin' up. Ain't gonna chuck boulders at a burnin' house."

…

"…I don't think you quite understand what I was getting at…"

Gaara looked between the two, following the conversation as rations were passed out, and realized something.

Kumiko had not woken up.

Despite her teammates all but arguing not three feet away, she was still fast asleep and completely undisturbed by the noise.

The only sign had been when Kankuro had tripped and shouted, causing her to flinch almost violently out of his grip like a coiled spring.

But she had settled easily afterwards, though he was only beginning to understand why.

'Is this friendship?' Gaara wondered, looking up once more as Megumi scoffed, inciting Kana's rough ire. 'This familiarity? This trust?'

The word 'friendship' seemed wrong, too insignificant a word for the deepness of this bond he was witnessing.

Friends were people you talked with, played with, sometimes shared secrets with.

This was far more; there was a level of understanding, of acceptance, that Gaara had never seen before.

He could not help but wonder what it was.


	19. Chapter 19: Home

When Konohagakure's walls became visible between the trees, Kumiko felt her heart soar.

This was home, a safe haven, and there was nothing to hurt her here.

"WHOA…" Tomoko breathed, wide-eyed.

"That's a big gate." Yei agreed, thoroughly distracted from the Tic-Tac-Toe game she had been winning against Benjiro.

"Is someone compensating for something?" The blonde boy wondered.

"REI!" Kumiko scolded, cheeks reddening.

"What? I'm just wondering!"

"Wonder about something else!"

"Yeah, like how ya can sneak inta the bathhouses wit'out gettin' caught."

"KANA! STOP ENCOURAGING HIM!"

"Don't worry, _okaasan_! No one's prettier than you!" Rei assured, grinning hugely.

The blush deepened, and Kumiko seemed to curl into herself, self-conscious.

Gaara had no idea why.

In his eyes, Rei was right; there _was_ no one prettier than his angel, not that he had seen.

So why was she acting so shy about it?

Even inside the village, Gaara still could not figure out his angel's insecurities.

True, some of the girls they passed weren't ugly or plain, but there was a sense that quite a few tried too hard.

Even the younger kunoichi had make-up or flashy dresses and skirts, perfume following them like a cloud even in the open streets.

Gaara thought it was foolish; any shinobi worth their _hitai-ite_ could track them by scent alone, leaving behind a squad of dead Genin.

He much preferred Kumiko, with her unpainted face and clean scent and bright oasis eyes…

None of them could compare.

* * *

The group gradually split up soon after they crossed the threshold; Kana had said something about needing to 'meet up' with someone, and Megumi had followed, muttering something about substituting 'crushing' for 'meeting up with'.

Baki, Temari and Kankuro set off for the hotel, and Genma grudgingly took the children with him to report the mission's happenings to the Hokage.

Happy to be free, Fubuki had immediately shucked her saddle and taken off, leaving only Kumiko, Gaara, and a clearly-amused Tomo behind.

Gaara was positive that the tomcat enjoyed taunting him.

Every chance he got, Tomo would rub against Kumiko's neck and face, practically rubbing in the fact that the Jinchuriki was unable to do the same.

He could not be mad at Kumiko for accepting the affection; she was an innocent prize in the whole thing, and unaware of the silent war between cat and shinobi.

For a moment, Gaara contemplated the ways he could get rid of that cat without being caught…

"Gaara-kun?"

But looking into those eyes as she cradled Tomo in her arms, the Jinchuriki knew he would never do it.

Seeing that she had his attention, Kumiko smiled.

"I'm going to look for my little brother. Do you want to come along?"

"Yes." He replied without a thought.

The slight brightening of her smile was enough to wash away the Jinchuriki's doubts.

"He's probably pumped himself full of sugar while I was gone." She admitted, slightly miffed at the thought. "I always make sure he gets a healthy meal, since _otousan_ and _oniisan_ are always so busy, but I've been gone a while…"

There was a hint of worry in her expression, and that bothered Gaara greatly.

He knew that she cared deeply for those around her, but he just could not grasp _why_.

"We should start at the Academy and search outward from there." Kumiko reasoned, turning to head towards said establishment. "He should still be practicing, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ran off to play Ninja again."

Following his angel through the crowded streets of Konoha, Gaara could not help feeling agitated.

While this was Kumiko's home, it was foreign territory to him, and danger lurked in every shadow on a good day in Sunagakure.

How could she be so relaxed?

Not even flinch when someone brushed too close?

It would be effortless to slip a kunai between her ribs from so near, or prick her with a poisoned senbon, or-

Fingers weaved through his, holding Gaara's hand gently, and the Jinchuriki looked down into worried blue eyes.

"Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

It was then that Gaara realized his sand had been reacting to the downward spiral of his thoughts, and was swirling anxiously in the gourd, ready to strike.

"I'm fine." He replied, wrestling control back from his emotions.

They had never been such a challenge before Kumiko had come into his life, and now they were a force all their own, joining with Shukaku against him.

'_**Kiss her.**_'

'_Touch her._'

'_**Mark her.**_'

'_Hold her._'

They came in and out at intervals, but mostly stayed as a background buzz that he could easily ignore.

Forcing the very tempting thoughts back, Gaara continued to walk, tugging the still-worried kunoichi after him.

Regaining her equilibrium, Kumiko fell into step with the silent Suna nin, Tomo curled tightly around her neck like a scarf.

If there was one thing she had learned about her secret crush, it was that he never spoke about what he was feeling.

In fact, he barely spoke to anyone but her.

Gaara expressed his emotions physically rather than verbally; the slight softening of his eyes, the hesitant way he initiated contact, the slight smile he sometimes gave her when no one was looking…

Trying to distract herself from the blush that had certainly returned to her cheeks, Kumiko started scanning the crowds for her little brother.

While Konohamaru was still small, he was about as hard to miss as Naruto.

They were passing by the opening to the alleyways, almost to the Academy, when Kumiko heard it.

Stopping immediately, eyes fixed on the narrow walkway, she tried to decipher what it was.

The awareness hit her like a bolt of lightning up the spine.

It was a scream.

'Konohamaru.' Kumiko realized, heart stuttering to a near stop.

Gaara had barely registered that she had stopped before his angel shot down the alley.

* * *

Konohamaru knew he was in _big_ trouble.

Held aloft by his scarf, unable to defend himself or get away, he irrationally hoped that Kumiko would save him.

Though he _knew_ that she was still out of the village on a mission, the boy believed very strongly that she would always protect him.

This big boy from another village may be stronger than his rival and his girlfriend, but no one was stronger than his _oneechan_!

The purple-painted nin pulled his fist back, most likely preparing to punch Konohamaru in the face, and the little boy closed his eyes in an instinctive attempt to hide from the oncoming pain.

"_ONEECHAN_!"

…

The pain never came, and Konohamaru opened them again to see what had happened.

He had never been so happy to see Kumiko in his entire life.

* * *

Kankuro knew, the moment he looked into those midnight-blue eyes, that he was royally screwed.

Her fingers dug into his wrist, forcing the Sand shinobi to lower his fist, wincing at the pain.

"You hurt my _otouto_." Kumiko stated, dangerously calm.

Scratch that.

He was _f&* ed_.

"Put him down." She ordered. "_Now_."

Kankuro did not hesitate to do as he was told, praying that his death would at least be swift and somewhat painless.

Really, he should have known better than to think Konoha Genin were weak.

Maternal instincts still raging, Kumiko twisted Kankuro's arm back further, feeling the ligaments threaten to tear.

"If you _ever_ threaten anyone from this village again, you'll see what it's like to be a ninja without _hands_."

Temari felt a chill rush down her spine.

That was not a threat.

It was a promise.

Releasing him, Kumiko's expression immediately softened as she looked down at a teary-eyed Konohamaru.

"_O-Oneechan_…"

"Oh, don't cry, _otouto_." She cooed, picking the boy up like one would a toddler. "I'm here now, don't cry…"

Even though Naruto and Sakura had known her reaction, they were still caught off-guard.

After all, Kumiko was always so sweet and kind that it was difficult to imagine she could ever be angry.

The Sand Siblings froze as a thought occurred to them.

If Kumiko was here, then…

The temperature seemed to drop.

Neither wanted to turn around and face Gaara's glare, too frightened to even breathe.

"You're a disgrace to our village." He informed his elder brother, monotone.

Fear spiked through Kankuro more fiercely than before.

"G-Gaara…"

"Why do you think we came all the way here to Konoha?"

Kankuro quickly decided that saying 'so you could be with your girlfriend' was a good way to get himself killed.

"Listen, Gaara, these guys started it." The purple-painted nin explained shakily, gesturing vaguely to the other Konoha Genin and the Academy students.

"Shut up." Gaara ordered icily.

Even Naruto and Sakura felt the sudden pressure in the air.

"I was at fault. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Kankuro admitted.

Jade eyes narrowed in displeasure, Gaara's gaze swept over the others before locking with brightening blue.

"Excuse them."

As Tomo purred and rubbed against Konohamaru's face, Kumiko felt the tension drain from her body.

"It's alright, Gaara-kun." She assured. "They won't do it again."

She sounded so sure of that, Gaara wondered what his angel had said to them before he arrived.

Giving a slight nod, he turned away.

"Then come. We don't have time to waste playing around here."

"Right."

Smiling towards the still-stunned Konoha Genin, Kumiko set her little brother down with his relieved friends.

"I'll catch up with you two later, okay? And get in some practice, _otouto_. I'm going to test you when I come over to make dinner, alright?"

"_Hai_, _oneechan_…" Konohamaru promised, still sniffling.

Taking a moment to ruffle his hair, Kumiko quickly went to catch up with Gaara.

Once the group was out of sight, Sakura blinked out of her thoughts and spoke the one question all of them were thinking.

"Was that Chiyo-sama's boyfriend?"


	20. Chapter 20: Mine

The day had been rather peaceful after finding Konohamaru.

Once Temari and Kankuro scurried off to the hotel, hoping that their little brother would cool off after a few hours in Kumiko's company, she had led Gaara to the apartment she had come to share with Kana and Megumi.

It was rather sizable, considering; the living room was large enough for a well-worn black couch, a dark-wood coffee table, and two matching armchairs.

The attached kitchenette on the right, cut off from the rest of the room by a counter and stools, was clean and Spartan in comparison.

All the floors were white, carpet or tile, and the walls a calm, soothing blue that immediately put Gaara at ease.

The entire place was comfortable and homey, like it's owner, and Gaara immediately liked it.

Setting his gourd down by the front door, and allowing some sand to seep out so it could scout the perimeter, he peered down the small hallway, spotting four doors.

As she dropped her water pouches onto the off-white counter, Tomo leaping off her shoulders, Kumiko slid into the kitchenette, rolling the numbness out of her shoulders.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Alright." He answered, taking a moment to appreciate the nice view he was presented with as Kumiko leaned into the refrigerator before sitting on the couch.

Not thirty seconds later, something slammed into the sliding glass door on the other side.

Tomo seemed to be laughing hysterically under the coffee table.

"That'd be Ki-chan." Kumiko stated calmly, pulling out a large container of chilled water from the top rack. "Could you let her in?"

Seeing the excited canine through the glass, Gaara considered _not_ doing that.

But his angel had asked, so he directed some sand to unlock the simple mechanism and pull the door open.

Fubuki scampered in, still panting from her quick patrol of the village, and took a moment to shake out her fur.

"That's my girl." Kumiko praised, throwing a raw steak into the Polar Bear Dog's eager jaws before turning back to root around for a glass.

Treat held securely between her teeth, Fubuki immediately settled on Gaara's feet instead of heading down to her owner's bedroom like she usually did.

Surprised by the show of affection, he could only stare as the large dog chewed happily on her steak, growling softly in pleasure.

"She's never done that before…"

Looking up at Kumiko's thoughtful expression, Gaara wondered what she meant.

"Polar Bear Dogs aren't usually domesticated like she is." The Waterbender explained, handing a glass of water to the somewhat pinned Jinchuriki. "She'll always be a little wary of being hurt, so it means a lot that Ki-chan would put herself in such a vulnerable position with you."

The thought was slightly confusing.

Why would this defenseless creature compromise her safety like that?

Gaara was starting to think it might be the same reason Kumiko never feared him.

A knock sounded at the door, and Tomo hissed softly before jumping onto the couch's back, claws sinking into the battered leather.

"You be nice." Kumiko warned the feline, heading for the door.

Sand rose up along the wall seams, twisting in the air as if trying to see who was standing on the other side of the door.

"Oh, Ebisu. I wasn't expecting you to come by…" The white-haired kunoichi admitted, looking up at the frustrated, and frustrating, _Tokubetsu_ Jonin.

"Hokage-sama asked me to retrieve you." Ebisu explained, frown firmly in place. "It seems your _antics_ have finally shown him the error of his ways."

Gaara felt a deep vibration come up his legs, and looked down to see Fubuki, ears back and tail bristling, growling softly.

The canine seemed rather upset, as if she could sense the displeasure obvious on the man's face.

Tomo seemed to be of the same opinion, fluffing up like he was, and Gaara actually agreed with the infuriating feline.

No one was allowed to make his Kumiko look so sad.

_No one_.

"Just give me a second, Ebisu. I have company." Kumiko replied tiredly, stepping away from the door.

"Your mongrel doesn't count as company."

Fubuki's growl rose sharply in pitch, and Gaara was sadistically pleased to see how nervous the sound made Ebisu.

Though he would likely never admit it, the Jinchuriki was growing fond of the Polar Bear Dog that was his angel's best friend.

"Sure she's not." Kumiko teased lightly, swinging her water pouches back into place. "I'm sorry, Gaara-kun, but _otousan_ probably wants another report on the mission. I shouldn't be long, so make yourself at home, okay?"

As Kumiko went back to the door, Tomo bolted across the carpet and leaped onto her shoulders, taking a moment to hiss at Ebisu before curling around her neck protectively.

For once, Gaara let it go.

* * *

Gaara could not be sure if it was curiosity or boredom that made him go to Kumiko's room, but that would certainly _not_ be his excuse if he was caught.

Either way, he was there, and Gaara would not waste the opportunity.

Opening the door carefully, the Jinchuriki did not flinch as a trap was triggered, sending a flurry of kunai towards his face.

The sand reacted immediately, catching them easily, and he looked down to see a switch in the knob.

If he had turned it more swiftly, unafraid of making noise, the trap would not have been triggered.

Clearly, his angel wanted to keep intruders out of her space.

More wary now, Gaara sent his sand in to check for any other traps while also replacing the kunai he had inadvertently sent flying.

Once it was safe, the redhead slipped inside, flipping on the main lights.

The room was rather large, with soft white carpet, a twin-sized bed, and a dresser.

All four walls were painted with the scene of an early morning in the middle of winter; icy blue sky touching a white horizon, soft hills curling around corners and twisting ice formations sparking rainbows.

Dark furs covered the bed, and a large collection of blades and boomerangs stood on the dresser like priceless artifacts.

Spears, roughly made, with long feathers tied near the head, and elegant swords were mounted on the far wall over the dresser with a bookshelf.

Stepping further in to skim the titles, the gleam of polished stone caught Gaara's eye.

There, sitting innocently amid the tools of war, was a cloth choker with a blue pendant, a symbol of waves carved into the smooth surface.

Intrigued, the Jinchuriki picked the necklace up carefully, as if afraid it would break in his hands.

Shukaku moved sharply in the back of his mind, surprised.

'_**Is that…?**_'

A new presence brushed the edge of his awareness, and he turned.

"Gaara-kun?"

Kumiko stood in the doorway, confused, water pouches held idly in her hands.

The confusion made a sudden transition into worry, and the leather sacks were abandoned on the floor as she rushed forward.

"Oh spirits, are you okay? Did you set off anything? Spirits, I knew I shouldn't have been so paranoid-"

Gently taking hold of her wrists, the Jinchuriki pulled the panicking girl into his chest.

"Relax." He ordered softly, closing his eyes in order to better enjoy the feel of her against him. "I was not hurt."

Slowly, Kumiko relaxed, letting out a deep sigh.

"You scared me…" She admitted, voice muffled by his chest. "I thought I'd hurt you…"

That warmth filled Gaara's chest again, tingling just under his skin, and he held her more tightly.

No one had ever been scared _for_ him before…

"I'm fine, Kumiko."

After a few moments, she nodded, pulling back slightly to look up at his face.

"What are you doing in here, anyway?"

Averting his eyes, Gaara slowly released her wrists, holding up the necklace still held in his fingers.

"Looking."

The item immediately registered in Kumiko's brain, and she blushed as red as the boy's hair.

"Oh, that…"

Her reaction stirred his curiosity, and Gaara suddenly needed to know why.

"What is it?"

"That's a…necklace my mother gave me when I was little." She explained, pausing only momentarily as if to gather her thoughts. "In the Southern Water Tribe, where I was born, every girl was given one of these by their mother and told to only give it to the person they love the most. If that person loves them back…"

Her lithe fingers twisted the pendant to show the unmarked side.

"They'll engrave the symbol of their people here and give it back. As long as the girl wears the necklace, they're promised to each other."

Shukaku nudged the back of his mind, impatient.

"What is it called?" Gaara elaborated, brow furrowing at the slight headache his Bijuu was creating.

The white-haired girl fell silent, gaze downcast and cheeks flaming, finally stepping out of his embrace.

"It's a…betrothal necklace."

A bolt of warmth traveled throughout the Jinchuriki's body, fingers tingling where they had touched cloth, stone and skin.

Gaara was practically holding her heart in his hands…

_And Kumiko was letting him_.

She was clearly flustered, but made no move to take the necklace back.

In Gaara's eyes, she might as well have offered her neck and asked him to mark her.

Shukaku was already having something similar to a seizure, shouting for him to take the chance and sink his teeth into that soft, pliable neck…

"But I can't give it away yet."

That brought both their thoughts to a screeching halt.

'_**WHAT?**_'

Under the sudden intensity of Gaara's stare, Kumiko flushed darker.

"It's just…I'm not considered an adult yet. Until I do my _Mizu no Dansu_, I can't be…"

Oasis eyes flashed up, locking with jade, before looking away again.

"Courted."

Pushing back Shukaku's angry ramblings, Gaara thought the situation through rationally.

Kumiko had not said she would not give the betrothal necklace to him and become his mate.

She had said she could not do that _yet_.

Once the Waterbender had gone through whatever was needed, then she would be his.

* * *

_**Tokubetsu**_-special

_**Mizu no Dansu**_-Water Dance


	21. Chapter 21: Blooming Fire

Sighing, Megumi walked through the village at a leisurely pace, rolling her shoulders to relieve the ache of carrying a pack and her scabbard for most of the day.

The ground was no longer vibrating under her feet, which the Firebender took as a sign that she was a good distance away from Kana's temper tantrum.

Relieved, gold eyes swept over the shops and stalls lining the large road, taking in their wares with disinterest.

Something caught her attention however, and her heart seized at the realization of what it was.

Sitting innocently on a counter, carefully wrapped in a soft red cloth, was a Pai Sho set.

Quiet memories of sitting before a well-used wooden board, feeling the warmth of a fireplace and cradling a mug of calming tea in her hands, with her uncle smiling down at her from the large armchair, filled Megumi's mind like the blooming flames of dimmed embers.

Warmed by the reminder of her much-loved uncle, she walked up to the stall, studying the set more carefully.

Pushing the cloth away, Megumi smiled softly at the polished dark wood and crisp lines, running her fingertips along the carved dragons encircling the stout cylindrical board, one blue and one red, twisting around each other in a strange dance. \

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The vendor noted, brown eyes warm and a kind smile on her mouth, graying brown hair tied up in a bun.

Ripping her eyes away from the artwork, Megumi nodded in agreement.

"My uncle had an old set that looked like this." The red-haired kunoichi admitted. "…How much is it?"

"Well, I would usually sell something like this for 20000 yen…"

The influx of emotion made it hard for the Firebender to hide her disappointment, but the woman caught it quickly, eyes softening in understanding.

"But for a ninja of our village, I can lower the price to 5000."

"I couldn't ask you to-" Megumi started, astonished.

"And you don't have to." The woman assured, wrapping the Pai Sho set back up. "It's the least I can do for someone who protects our village. And I know you will take good care of it."

Touched by her kindness, Megumi bowed slightly.

"_Arigato_, _obaasama_. This means a lot to me, and I will never be able to repay your kindness."

"There's no need to." She stated calmly, handing the set over and taking the money in return. "Just do your best and keep training."

"I will." Megumi promised, cradling the wrapped bundle in her arms.

She would never forget that warmth.

* * *

Shikamaru was not sure how he felt.

Now that Megumi had been gone for more than a week, he found himself missing her company.

Though they rarely spoke to, or even looked at, each other, he felt a void where the redhead used to be.

The thought that she might have returned brought the lazy genius to lie under the tree they had adopted every day at noon, missing lunch in the vague hope that the kunoichi would come.

After more than a week, Shikamaru was beginning to doubt his own sanity.

Wasn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing again and again, but expecting a different result each time?

Shikamaru shrugged.

Guess he was insane, then.

"You're late."

Screeching to a halt, the shadow-user turned his gaze from the clouds to the tree he was heading for.

There was Megumi, sitting with her back against the thick trunk, using a soft cloth to polish the wooden pieces of a Pai Sho set, a _bento_ sitting next to her crossed legs.

"I know I was gone longer than expected, but I did not expect your punctuality to suffer." She continued, seemingly oblivious to the boy's shock. "If you were going to take your time, you might as well have brought sweets."

Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, the shadow-user closed the distance, plopping down and surveying the board now between them.

"Troublesome…I wasn't expecting you to be here."

He caught a flash of something new in those sharp gold eyes, and a soft, dazzling smile crossed the Firebender's lips.

"I wasn't expecting you to come, either."

Letting the words sink in, Shikamaru turned his gaze back to the Pai Sho set.

Carefully taking a Lotus tile, he put it in position.

"Your turn."

That something in her eyes came back, and her smile widened as she placed a tile down.

"If you think you can handle me."

Shikamaru got the feeling they were talking about more than a game of Pai Sho.


	22. Chapter 22: Hard Faith

Stomping through the trees, leaving behind an obliterated training field that would likely need severe repairs, Kana tried to rein in her temper.

If Neji was good at anything, it was ticking her off.

She had gone with the intent to rub the completed A-rank mission in his smug face, and the Hyuga had probably not even batted an eye before saying that she was lucky to go, because "they usually keep helpless little girls like you in the kitchen."

Megumi and Lee had a hell of a time keeping her from smashing that arrogant jerk into a red smear on the ground.

Still seething, the young kunoichi had gone off and destroyed one of the more remote training grounds in an impressive display of Earthbending that made quite a few Jonin turn right around and leave her alone.

Now, tired and grumpy, Kana was walking through the forest in an attempt to calm down.

'Stupid, narcissistic, arrogant…ASS.'

The walk was not proving to be particularly calming…

'If I e'er see that jackass 'gain, I'm gonna shove a rock so far up 'is ass 'e'll puke gravel!' Kana promised fiercely, momentarily appeasing her anger.

A sob pulled the girl from her thoughts, and her Seismic Sense immediately pinpointed the source.

She was on the edge of another clearing, with three wooden posts in the center and a girl huddled at the base of one, crying into her knees.

The ring of metal through Kana's senses told her this was a kunoichi, probably a Genin considering she was probably twelve as well, and she wondered what had happened.

"'Ey."

The girl squeaked in surprise, like a mouse, and Kana felt a smile tug at the edge of her mouth.

"What are ya cryin' fer?"

"N-Nothing…" She replied, stuttering and shy. "_G-Gomen_, d-did you w-w-want to train?"

"Nah, done 'nough damage fer the day." Kana assured, stopping a foot or so away. "Still wonderin' what's got ya all upset, though."

Sniffling, as if embarrassed or ashamed, the crying girl rubbed her eyes dry and lifted her head.

"I-I failed m-my team's l-last mission…I-I just…I w-want so b-badly to be st-strong…"

For a long moment, Kana was silent, mulling the words over in her head like smooth stones.

"…Then we'd betta' get started."

The girl was stunned, staring at the outstretched hand being offered to her.

"B-But…"

"Ya ain't gonna get any stronger sittin' 'round cryin' 'bout it, so I'm gonna 'elp ya train." Kana explained with a shrug.

There was a moment of silent contemplation before small, shy fingers wrapped around the Earthbender's calloused hand, pulling the girl up behind them.

"_A-Arigato_…"

"We're wastin' daylight." Kana stated, brushing off the thanks. "Might as well get started…"

* * *

Hinata had grown used to being left behind.

She was the weak link, the burden, and only brought shame to her family.

It was a miracle in itself that she became a ninja, but that was where the good luck ended.

The Hyuga heiress was painfully aware that all of her training had done nothing to stop the constant failures on missions, and was very near giving up entirely.

That was when Kana had arrived.

Hinata had never met a person quite like her before; she was small, but strong; blind, but able to see everything; callous, but able to sympathize.

Kana was a bundle of contradictions, and it took only a few hours of hard training for Hinata to realize it.

"Focus, mouse." The Earthbender ordered, sending another disk of rock whizzing through the air like a deadly Frisbee.

Side-stepping, Hinata used a chakra-enhanced blow to destroy the projectile with pinpoint accuracy, Byakugan pulsing as she scanned for more.

A smirk crossed Kana's face, and she sent three more disks flying.

With each pass, they grew smaller and smaller, and harder to spot at high speeds.

But Hinata refused to give up, not when someone finally believed she could change.

For the first time, she was truly beginning to believe it, too.


	23. Chapter 23: Coincidence

Despite being the son of the Kazekage, Gaara had never met the Third Hokage.

He had mainly heard about the man through Kumiko, but her assurances did nothing to ease his paranoia.

Years of assassination attempts and murder plots had made the Jinchuriki inherently distrustful of fathers, and the betrayal of his uncle had made him wary of a kind face.

Despite this, Gaara never said anything to Kumiko.

It was quite clear she adored the old man, and the Suna nin would never take the chance that his words might cause a rift between himself and his angel.

This would not stop him from approaching the Hokage on his own, however...

* * *

Hiruzen was fully aware of what his adopted daughter was.

Kumiko's feelings and instincts were backed by thousands of lifetimes of experience and fate, so he had learned to read her well.

When he had called her into his office the day before last, it had not been hard to spot the change.

There was a new quirk in her smile, like a bright, teasing star, and her eyes never shifted from that bright blue they became whenever she was extremely happy.

After a quick hello from her new kids, the quartet were led out by Ebisu and the Waterbender explained what had happened during their originally C-ranked mission.

Hiruzen barely managed to hide a smile at the sudden brightening of her features when the story reached Suna.

Clearly, Kumiko cared very much for the Kazekage's youngest son, Gaara, and had a rather obvious crush on the boy.

This was where Hiruzen began to worry.

The Avatar only ever developed feelings for one person in each lifetime, no matter when or how they met.

If Kumiko was developing a crush…

Hiruzen decided he needed to meet this boy.

* * *

The two determined males found each other quite by accident.

Hiruzen had been out on one of his morning walks around the village, and Gaara was out getting some of the sweets he knew Kumiko liked.

Gaara recognized the old man from his robes, and Hiruzen recognized the boy from the pictures he had been given.

The Sandaime broke the sudden tension with a smile.

"Ah, you must be the boy my daughter has told me so much about." He greeted, taking in Gaara's crossed arms and defensive posture. "Why don't you join me on my walk?"

The Jinchuriki took a moment to consider, the white bag of chocolate-drizzled pastries heating his hands, before nodding.

After a few minutes of walking side-by-side, Hiruzen decided to break the silence once more.

"Kumiko seems to have taken quite a liking to you. This is the first time I've heard of her spending so much time with a boy."

That knowledge made Gaara strangely giddy.

He had privately worried that Kumiko had been with someone before him, had shared her laugh and smile with another man…

Gaara wanted to be her first everything.

"Of course, I worry. Kumiko is my daughter in everything but blood, and is my youngest child."

The pair stopped in the middle of a deserted side-street, and the Sandaime's black eyes cut through Gaara's defenses.

"I need to know that you will protect her."

Gaara did not hesitate to reply, facing that stare head-on.

"I will never let _anyone_ harm Kumiko."

Hiruzen was taken aback by the fiery devotion that suddenly engulfed those blank jade eyes; startling in it's intensity, but no less genuine for that.

He had never seen someone so devoted to another human being.

Even among his ninja, the instinct to protect those precious to them was never this strong except in the heat of battle.

Perhaps…

Gaara was somewhat startled by the sudden softness in the man's expression, as if the boy had done something to be proud of, and wondered if this is where Kumiko got her protectiveness from.

"I am glad to hear that, Gaara-san. I know now that you will take good care of her."

Blinking once in surprise as the Hokage turned, making his way back to the paperwork in his office, Gaara wondered what had just happened.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Hiruzen voiced, turning back with a smile. "Kumiko asked me to schedule her _Mizu no Danso_ during the Chunin Exams. I'm sure she would like you to come."

The Jinchuriki was only able to nod in response, brain whirring with the implications.

Was it a coincidence that, after explaining why she was unable to give her heart, Kumiko would ask to fulfill the requirements needed to do so?

Gaara highly doubted it.

For the first time, the Suna nin was looking forward to the upcoming exam.

So much planning, so little time…


	24. Chapter 24: Uncertainty

Word travels fast among the women of the Hidden Leaf.

It was to be expected; Kumiko was the daughter of their beloved Hokage, and was one of the prettiest young kunoichi the village had to offer.

Not only that, but she was friendly and helpful, with a temper only for those that would hurt someone else.

The villagers adored her, especially the young children and parents, so it was no wonder that word of her supposed crush on a boy had spread like wildfire.

Now they were all curious:

Was she going to marry this boy?

Was she going to leave the village?

Was the boy going to come here?

The questions ate at their sanity until Sakura and Ino grudgingly decided to team up to find out the answers.

They just _had _to know.

* * *

Humming softly to herself, Kumiko adjusted her grip on the bags in her arms, careful of the eggs and bread.

Tomoko skipped along on her right, hugging a bag of sweets to her chest with a giddy smile, while Yei walked calmly on her left, cataloguing the herbs they had bought and double-checking in a medical tome she had dug up in the library.

Fubuki trotted behind the trio, saddle weighed down with groceries, growling softly at the curious cat that kept trying to poke through the bags.

"Chiyo-sama?"

Reacting to the formal call of her name, the Waterbender turned to see Sakura and Ino coming out of a side-street only a couple of yards back.

"Oh, Sakura-chan! Ino-chan!" Kumiko greeted. "Is there something you needed?"

"Actually, we wanted to talk with you." Ino admitted, only slightly nervous.

"Sure. Just give me a moment."

Placing her bags on Fubuki's saddle, and shushing Tomo's loud meows, the white-haired kunoichi pat the Animal Guide's neck.

"Make sure they get home safe, Ki-chan. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Huffing in the affirmative, the Polar Bear Dog picked a squealing Tomoko up by the back of her little pink dress and started walking again, Yei jogging to keep up.

With that done, Kumiko approached the two rookie kunoichi, curious.

"What did you two want to talk about?"

Alarm bells were already ringing in the back of her mind; everyone knew that Sakura and Ino were rivals over Sasuke's affection, and fought whenever in each other's presence.

What was so important that the two would put aside all those hurt feelings?

"You see, Chiyo-sama, we were wondering…" Sakura started, wary.

"Is that Sand shinobi your boyfriend?" Ino blurted out, bursting with impatience and curiosity.

Though she was stunned at first, Kumiko's cheeks flushed a bright red.

"_N-Nani_? You mean Gaara-kun?"

Both of their eyes brightened at the familiar suffix and the girl's obvious anxiety.

"Do you like him?"

"Is he sweet?"

"Does he like you?"

"Has he kissed you yet?"

Sakura and Ino were practically vibrating in excitement.

The entire thing was just so romantic!

Like a fairytale about the lonely princess who went off on an adventure and found her prince charming!

Blush darkening, Kumiko felt cornered.

Should she admit her feelings?

'_No_.'

Those words would only be for Gaara.

"_Gomen_, but I have to go." She voiced, fleeing.

The two kunoichi blinked in surprises, sharing a glance.

What was _that_ all about?

* * *

Megumi looked up from heating her tea when Kumiko entered the apartment, the blush barely receding from her cheeks.

Standing up from her place in front of the couch, Fubuki lifted Tomo by the scruff of his neck and retreated into the Waterbender's room, ignoring the feline's annoyed yowling.

"You seem rather flustered." The red-haired girl noted, sipping her drink. "Did something happen?"

"Not really…" Kumiko replied evasively, scanning the apartment. "Is anyone else here?"

"Kana is still out training, and Gaara hasn't gotten back from wherever he decided to go." Megumi informed, gold eyes narrowing. "Now, tell me what happened."

Slightly tense, the white-haired kunoichi settled on a stool next to her friend, accepting a cup of tea with a nervous smile.

"Nothing, really…Just…Do you think Gaara could be my boyfriend?"

If Megumi had any less self-control, she would have done a spit take.

"_Excuse me_?"

"Sakura and Ino wanted to talk with me on the way back from grocery shopping, and they asked if…"

Kumiko blushed darker.

"If Gaara was my boyfriend. I didn't know what to say."

Taking a moment to mull over her words and actions, Megumi barely managed to hold back a smile.

"It's best that you didn't tell them the truth. Especially not before you've had the chance to tell Gaara."

Now it was Kumiko's turn to nearly have a spit take.

"_N-Nani_?"

"It's rather obvious." Megumi told her, eyes softening. "And it's even more obvious that Gaara thinks the world of you in return. Kana and I have just been waiting for you two to admit it."

The Waterbender flushed bright red, trying not to trip over her words.

"B-But the villagers…"

"I'm sure they thought something was up when you suddenly decided you wanted to do your _Mizu no Danso_." Megumi explained with a raised brow, tone dripping with sarcasm. "Very subtle."

Unable to find anything to say, Kumiko shut her mouth and dropped her head onto the counter in the hopes of hiding her red face.

Sighing, Megumi pat her friend on the shoulder sympathetically.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." She assured. "It's perfectly natural, especially for you. Denying it is only going to hurt in the end."

Nodding slightly, Kumiko tilted her head to look up at the elder kunoichi.

"I just…I'm scared, Meg."

"…I know." The Firebender admitted, putting an arm around her teammate's shoulders in a half-hug. "Love is frightening, at first. You don't know what to do, and you're worried about being hurt…But denying love is like denying oxygen. It can't be done."

"Yeah…" Kumiko whispered, resigned, but a smile growing on her lips. "I know…"


	25. Chapter 25: The Written Test

"The Chunin Exams are meant to test all of the skills we require to be competent ninja." Megumi stated, expression serious. "Even when we don't expect a trick, we should be prepared for one. Nothing will be as it seems."

Both her teammates listened intently, even Kana, who had complained about this impromptu meeting stalling dinner only five minutes before.

This was more important than eating, at least for the moment.

"There are three ninja arts we should be prepared to confront: Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. The first two are straightforward enough to not be much of an issue, but they will likely use Genjutsu to trick our eyes."

A smirk grew at the corner of Megumi's mouth.

"So it's rather fortunate that we have someone here who has no need for their eyes, isn't it?"

"Ain't sure if I should be 'appy or insulted…"

"Be happy. You'll be our defense against illusions. There are few Genjutsu geared towards altering a sense besides sight." The Firebender replied, raising a brow at the blind girl's stubborn huff.

"But there's more to being a ninja than offensive strategies." Kumiko voiced. "There's stealth, tactics, and information-gathering, too."

"Exactly." Megumi agreed. "And I have a plan for just such an occasion…"

* * *

As the Academy came into view, Fubuki slowed to a halt, huffing as Kumiko swung out of the overburdened saddle.

"Good girl." The Waterbender cooed, earning a happy growl from the overworked canine.

"Are you _sure_ we can't come with you, _oneechan_?" Konohamaru wondered, straddling the Polar Bear Dog's neck.

"Yeah, are you sure?" Rei agreed, bouncing excitedly in the wooden saddle.

"Yes, I'm sure." Kumiko replied with a smile, ruffling their spiky hair. "All of you have your practice kunai and shuriken, right?"

All five nodded some more enthusiastically than others.

"Ki-chan here will take you to one of the training grounds and watch, okay? Be nice to her, or I won't make _dango_ for dessert tonight."

The nods were much more earnest this time around, and Kumiko turned her attention to the tired canine.

"Take care of them, Ki-chan."

Huffing softly, Fubuki licked the young Avatar's cheek before turning to leave.

"Gee, thanks…" Kumiko giggled to herself, wiping the saliva off her cheek as Tomo leaped onto her shoulders.

Adjusting her swords one last time, Megumi turned to her teammates.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Both Kumiko and Kana answered, turning serious.

"Remember, we're going to keep a low profile and scout out the competition first." The Firebender repeated, turning sharp gold eyes on Kana. "So no attacking anyone, or goading them into a fight."

"Jeez, ain't any fun in that…" The blind Bender grumbled, heading towards the Academy. "Now come on. If I'm gonna be bored, I wanna sit down fer it."

Jogging to catch up with her slightly-shorter friend, Kumiko slowed once the three passed through the main doorway.

The room to turn in their applications was on the third floor, and Kana aimed for the closest staircase without a single hitch in her step.

It was not until they reached the next floor that the trio of kunoichi hit a roadblock.

A throng of Genin were surrounding a door not that far from the staircase, and Kumiko looked up to see the number '301' hanging over it.

Kana, completely ignoring the mob and the two shinobi keeping them out, made a b-line for the next staircase.

Sharing a glance, her teammates followed without a word.

This immediately caught the attention of the two 'guards', who seemed confused by this behavior.

"Where do you three think _you're_ going?" One demanded, his blue hair dull and bandages covering his nose.

"To the room." Kana replied, not breaking stride.

"This is the room!" The other retorted.

"Of course it's not." Megumi stated calmly, sharp gold eyes taking in the crowd of Genin and their 'handlers'. "We're only on the second floor."

The Genjutsu faded away, revealing the number '201', though neither guard seemed particularly pleased about someone discovering their trick.

Kumiko paused for a moment, recognizing their faces…

Both shinobi froze at the flash of recognition in those blue eyes, panicking.

Giggling at their lack of faith in her discretion, the Waterbender took hold of her teammates by the wrists and tugged them towards the next set of stairs, her cat almost snickering in agreement.

Once she had set foot on the third floor, Kana smirked, excitement thrumming in her veins.

"We're 'ere."

At the far end of the hall were a set of heavy metal doors, rather foreboding and intimidating even from a distance.

Kana was unaffected, but Megumi noticed the unease starting to fill Kumiko's face.

"Do you want to leave?" The Firebender wondered, voice neutral.

Tomo rubbed against her cheek with a purr, and Kumiko smiled, shaking her head.

"_Iie_. I'm alright."

Put at ease, the elder kunoichi walked through the doors after Kana without hesitation, Kumiko hastily bringing up the rear.

The room, one of the larger lecture halls, was filled to the brim with foreign Genin.

And none of them seemed too friendly.

Kana did not even spare them a turn of the head as she walked to a free desk, plopping down in the seat and propping her bare feet up on the smooth wood.

Megumi rolled her eyes, but followed suit, sitting on a chair next to her teammate while Kumiko hopped onto the desk between them, nonchalantly scanning the room.

Jade caught blue, and her eyes lightened noticeably at the discovery.

Gaara straightened, that warmth spreading through his chest like it always did.

Before either could move to join the other, a commotion started at the front of the room that brought the entire room's attention to the Rookie Nine of Konoha.

'Oh, spirits…' Kumiko thought sadly.

"Poor mouse." Kana muttered, frowning. "Can't get a word in edge-wise wit' 'ose idiots shoutin'."

"They're playing a dangerous game." Megumi voiced, too soft for anyone but her friends to hear. "Bringing so much attention to themselves will either mark them as incompetent or a threat, if it doesn't annoy one of these ninja into action first."

"With Naruto, it's likely going to be the third one." Kumiko admitted, growing nervous as Tomo began to pace along her shoulders.

The trio fell silent as an older Genin approached the Academy Genin, a Konoha _hitai-ite_ tied around his forehead.

"I don't remember him." The Firebender murmured, gold eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Me, either…" Kumiko agreed, gaze flicking between this new arrival and the Genin she had come to care about over the years.

"…Yakushi Kabuto." Kana informed them, deceptively indifferent. "It's 'is seventh time takin' the exam."

Nodded minutely to show she had heard, Megumi straightened slightly to better study this new player.

"He has blank cards."

"Somethin' 'bout chakra and usin' 'em to get info on other participants."

"That's a smart move." Kumiko admitted. "Gathering information on the competition to learn their weaknesses is important."

"Not important enough." Megumi noted. "Considering he has failed this exam six times before now."

"Smarts don't 'lways beat out brawn, hothead." Kana replied rather gleefully.

"But it tends to." The Firebender retorted calmly.

Kumiko sighed as the two quietly argued between themselves on which was better, resting her chin on a raised knee as the tabby meowed softly in amusement.

Naruto's exuberant shout was not exactly what she was hoping to hear at that moment.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'm not going to lose to any of you! Got that?!"

Kumiko face-palmed, unable to fight back a smile.

'_Baka_…'

A flash of movement in her peripheral had the Waterbender tense.

Three Genin were ghosting through the crowd at impressive speeds, their _hitai-ite_ marking them as Sound shinobi.

And they were heading straight for the front of the room.

Adrenaline hit her blood like lava, and she was already moving.

Just as Kabuto flinched, about to dodge the fist aimed for his face, someone grabbed the back of his collar, pulling the larger boy out of harm's way as a foot shot out, catching the Sound boy's face.

As the three foreign Genin regrouped, they froze under the icy look in Kumiko's dark eyes.

"You're new to the village, so I'll let this be your warning." She voiced, dangerously calm. "Shinobi of Konohagakure don't care for threats towards our comrades."

The entire room fell silent, most likely recognizing the only daughter of the Third Hokage, and waited for what would happen next.

The foremost nin, who had bandages covering most of his face much like Kakashi's mask and _hitai-ite_ did, spoke first.

"Ah, so this is the old man's daughter. It's such a shame that a pretty girl like you might get hurt during the exam."

Kumiko faltered, confused and caught off-guard, as Tomo bristled, hissing.

"_Nani_?"

Kankuro flinched at the thunderous expression that crossed Gaara's face, eternally grateful that he was not the cause of it, as the Sound ninja smirked visibly through his bandages.

"I would certainly enjoy backing _you_ into a corner, little minx."

None of the room's male occupants could argue with that sentiment.

With her soft features and expressive eyes, she was certainly pretty, with a body toned from hard training, but still filled in with gentle, womanly curves.

It certainly did not hurt that her breasts were a good size or two larger than those of most kunoichi her age, either.

"Back off." Kana warned, coming to her Avatar's defense. "'Fore I make ya."

"Oh really?" The other boy of the squad voiced, smirking. "And how are you going to do that, pipsqueak?"

"You don't want to know."

All three jumped, turning to see Megumi standing behind them, gold eyes half-lidded but keen.

"No one ever does."

"It's alright, Kana. Meg." Kumiko assured. "I'm fine."

"If you insist." The Firebender replied, grabbing her less-than-willing teammate by the collar and, ignoring her curses, dragged Kana a few feet back.

The bandage-masked Sound nin seemed to smirk through his covering.

"Ah, willing to play after all?"

"Hey, you leave Mimi-chan alone!" Naruto shouted, coming to the white-haired girl's aid this time. "She'd never date a jerk like you, anyway!"

The boy sneered, voice dripping with innuendo.

"Who said anything about dating?"

Tomo yowled in outrage, baring needle-like teeth, and Gaara half-wished the feline would rip up the boy's face.

The other half wanted to do it himself.

"I only allow strong partners."

Blue eyes darkening a couple shades more, Kumiko frowned as Naruto sputtered indignantly and even Shikamaru and Sasuke looked upset.

"Unfortunately for you, so do I."

The implication, that she saw him as a strong partner, made that warm feeling rise in Gaara again, dimming his rage.

Naruto, unable to see the underneath, only saw the stunned look on the Sound nins' faces and promptly began to laugh uproariously.

"Ha! Not so cool now, are ya?"

Kumiko was already turning away, heading towards her teammates and done with the conversation, when she saw the bandaged shinobi raise his fist as if to strike Naruto across the face.

Everyone was startled by her speed, but none more than Gaara.

He had always known of his angel's violent protectiveness, but had never witnessed her fight before.

It was strangely beautiful.

Grabbing the hunched boy's right wrist as Tomo leaped clear, Kumiko twisted on the balls of her feet, jerking him off-balance and throwing him clear across the room.

Reacting to his teammate's sudden defeat, the other boy held up his hands as if to strike, but he was not fast enough.

Taking hold of his wrists for leverage, the Waterbender brought both feet up and kicked him in the chest, using her weight to fall on her back and roll, the momentum allowing her to push him off onto the wall behind them.

In one fluid motion, she was on her feet and facing the angry Sound kunoichi.

When the taller girl armed herself with senbon, Kumiko moved instinctively, using a hurricane kick to knock the projectiles harmlessly away and bringing her other leg up to hit her opponent upside the head.

In less than a minute, the entire squad was dazed on the floor without landing a single blow.

The room fell silent, wary of her midnight-dark eyes and icy expression.

"I told you that Konoha nin don't take kindly to threats towards our comrades."

Her gaze turned to the audience, sending a chill through the air.

"Would anyone else like to see what would happen?"

No one stepped forward; in fact, the foreign Genin took quite a few steps back, wary of her temper.

Gaara felt a flare of pride at the knowledge that his mate was indeed stronger than she looked.

"Quiet down! You punks!"

Standing in the front of the room, smoke lingering around his feet and with a group of veteran Chunin in grey uniforms, was an imposing man in a black trench coat with a bandana-style _hitai-ite_ that Kumiko recognized.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I am the examiner of the first phase of the Chunin Selection Exam, Morino Ibiki."

Blue eyes a few shades brighter now that the danger was past, Kumiko looked over her handiwork with a flinch, somewhat ashamed of her impulsiveness as the Sound nin shakily rose.

"Chiyo Kumiko." Ibiki shouted, and said kunoichi nearly jumped out of her skin. "Are you going to explain yourself?"

"_Gomen_, Ibiki-san!" She replied, bowing hastily. "They shouldn't be badly hurt, but it was in self-defense!"

His sharp black eyes studied her, and then her opponents, seeing it had been a match of three against one.

'They never stood a chance.' Ibiki thought ruefully.

"This is a good chance to say this…You are not allowed to fight each other during the exam unless given permission by the examiners. Even if the permission is given, you are not allowed to kill each other. Anyone else who breaks this rule will fail immediately. Understood?"

No one argued, so the proctor continued.

"We will now begin the first phase of the Chunin Selection Exam. Turn in your applications, take one of these number tags, and sit where the number tells you to. Then we will pass out the papers for the written exam."

Coming up on Kumiko's right, application in hand, Megumi sighed tiredly.

"And here I thought it would be Kana to make a scene."

"_Gomen_, Meg-chan…"

The red-haired kunoichi waved it off nonchalantly.

"You did it to keep someone from being hurt. There isn't much to be angry over."

"Can I be pissed we gotta take a test instead 'a beatin' people up?" Kana voiced, smirking.

"The fighting will come later." Megumi retorted, sighing. "Be patient."

"Yeah, yeah…"

The trio made it to the front of the room, handing in their applications and receiving their number tags without a hitch, and immediately found their seats.

Kana set off for the middle row, where Hinata was already seated, while Megumi aimed for the far back left, hiding a smile at the sight of Shikamaru already dozing next to her chair.

Scooping Tomo into her arms, Kumiko felt a nudge in the back of her mind and looked up.

There was Gaara, eyes so intent on her that she felt the weight of it, slouched attractively in his seat right next to hers up on the far right side.

For a moment, the Bender was frozen in place, amazing little tingles spreading through her belly and stealing the air from her lungs.

Composing herself, Kumiko headed for her seat, fighting back a blush at how those jade eyes followed her every movement with this emotion that she had never seen before.

Whatever it was, it made those tingles so much stronger, and her knees were practically jelly by the time she sat down.

Gaara noticed, and felt a rush of power knowing that all it took was one look from _him_ to reduce such a strong, formidable mate into a blushing, flustered mess.

Once she was within reach, Gaara yanked the girl's chair right up next to his and, leaning in, whispered hotly into Kumiko's ear.

"Are you always so willing to let men eye you like a piece of candy?"

Kumiko was fairly sure she could make her own fire at that moment, with how hot her insides were becoming.

"W-Well, not really…"

Teeth nipped sharply at her ear, and she almost jumped at the bolt of warmth that came up from her belly.

Shukaku practically purred, grinning at her reaction.

'_**Oh, would you look at that! She likes it rough!**_'

"The next time someone says such things to you, I'll kill them." Gaara promised darkly.

Those blue eyes suddenly leapt up to meet his jade, and he saw an unexpected sadness and fear.

"Gaara-kun, please…"

With all of the tests passed out, Ibiki called everyone's attention the front with a hard tap of his chalk against the blackboard.

"This first phase has a few important rules. I will not accept any questions, so listen carefully." He started, writing them out as he said them. "First rule is you all are given ten points at the start. The written phase consists of ten questions, and each is worth one point. This is a deduction-based test; if you get one problem wrong, you will get one point deducted."

Ibiki took a moment to scan the room before continuing.

"Second rule, the pass-fail decision will be determined by your team's total points."

Sakura seemed to have hit her head rather painfully on her desk.

"Wait! You're team's total points? What?!"

Kumiko understood the girl's sudden incoherence; Naruto's incompetence with written exams was legendary.

"Shut up!" The proctor ordered. "There is a reason for this. Just shut up and listen."

When no other objections came, Ibiki continued calmly enough.

"Now that you know, let's move on to the next rule. If an examiner determines that you cheated or did something similar during the test, each action will cause you to lose two points."

That caused Kumiko to straighten somewhat, confused.

'Lose points? If _otousan_ ever caught me cheating on a test, I'd fail immediately, not get four more chances.'

"In other words, there will be people who will be forced to leave this place without their tests being graded. Those who try to cheat without thinking carefully will only hurt themselves."

The presence of the examiners lining both sides of the room certainly made sense now, and Kumiko eyed them warily, recognizing two as the ones who had been guarding the fake room.

"You are all trying to become Chunin. If you are a ninja, act like a first-rate one." Ibiki advised. "Also, if anyone in a team gets a zero, everyone on that team will fail."

Even Kumiko could see the death glares being shot Naruto's way at this revelation, and Kana seemed to be valiantly fighting off laughter at the prospect.

"The last problem will be given forty-five minutes after the exam begins. You have one hour for the exam. Begin!"

Flipping the paper over, trying to ignore the warmth of another human body so close to her own, Kumiko looked over the problems in a cursory way.

'Oh _crud_…'

There was no way she could answer them, let alone do so with only five minutes per question.

Megumi probably could, but _she_ was a military genius.

Another thought crossed the Waterbender's mind, and she frowned.

'What about Kana?'

True, they had taught her to write (with quite a bit of difficulty), but reading was not something she could do.

'Well, Meg _did_ say Morse Code would come in handy…'

Tomo curled up in her lap, purring as she scratched behind an ear, as Kumiko tapped the heel of her foot against the floor in a practiced rhythm.

'We are going to have to cheat.'

The Earthbender twitched slightly, and Kumiko closed her eyes to better focus on her Seismic Sense as a reply was sent back.

'Get on with it, then.'

Taking a deep breath, Kumiko hid her hands under the desk to keep any of the examiners from seeing the movement of her fingers.

Slowly, her senses stretched, brushing against the moisture in the air before finally touching the ceiling.

The particles reacted, connecting and creating droplets along the smooth tile like condensation.

Careful to keep the newly-forming water hidden, wary of stray sunbeams and eagle-sharp eyes, Kumiko scanned the room for someone to copy from.

The quick, confident strokes of a pencil a few rows down caught her eye, and the condensation slowly moved into position, solidifying into a reflective sheet of ice.

After a few minor adjustments, the answers were visible, and Kumiko quickly jotted them down, taking a few moments longer to decipher the upside-down script.

With that done, she melted the ice and pressed the remaining water through the seams of the tiles to hide the evidence.

Tapping the heel of her foot against the floor once more, she ran a hand down Tomo's back, earning a soft meow.

'I have the answers. Are you ready?'

There were a few moments of delay before Kana replied, pencil twirling between her fingers.

'Whenever you are.'

'Okay. First answer…'

Looking over the first box, her heel tapped rapid-fire, giving the information as quickly as her already-aching calf would allow.

Gaara preferred sitting back and watching her work, finding the Waterbender's concentrated expression rather cute.

A frown crossed his face as the tabby rubbed against her stomach through the mesh, purring happily and almost smiling at him as if to say "Too bad you can't touch her like this, too."

He decided to prove that infuriating feline wrong.

Just as Kumiko began to relax, having relayed all of the information to her teammate, a hand brushed aside her mesh shirt and pressed against the small of her back.

With a jolt, she realized something.

Gaara's Sand Armor was down.

The contact of skin-on-skin sent a jolt of electric heat up the Jinchuriki's spine, and Shukaku purred loudly as his container reveled in the feeling of soft, warm flesh under his palm.

Nerves tingling pleasantly, Kumiko tried to control her breathing, but when Gaara's hand traveled up along her spine, it hitched noticeably.

One of the examiners looked towards her, curious, and she flushed hotly, ducking her head.

Deciding to give his angel a chance to catch her breath, Gaara reluctantly removed his hand and turned his full attention to conjuring the Third Eye _jutsu_.

There was no difficulty in finding a victim, and by the time Kumiko had managed to regain her equilibrium, the red-haired Suna nin was done.

Instead of immediately reaching out, he took a moment to ensure none of the examiners were looking.

While Gaara enjoyed showing who his angel belonged to, he certainly did not want Kumiko upset with him for embarrassing her a second time.

Once the coast was clear, the Jinchuriki leaned in and licked up the slow, pulsing vein in the Waterbender's neck.

Kumiko squeaked in surprise, and turned deep red at the mild attention that sound earned.

Chuckling inwardly at her reaction, Gaara settled back, an arm over the back of her chair in a subtle display of ownership.

Flustered, Kumiko shot a mild glare at the amused Demon of Suna, looking, in his opinion, very much like a disgruntled puppy.

"We're in the middle of a test, Gaara-kun." She scolded softly, careful not to be overheard. "Can't this…"

The blush flared up again, but the young Avatar was determined to push through.

"Can't this wait?"

Studying her expression, Gaara nodded minutely.

"If that's what you want." He replied, hiding a smirk as he noticed Kumiko's sudden relaxation. "We'll continue once the test is completed."

Luckily, before she could overcome the shock, Ibiki spoke up once more.

"Looks like we've already dropped the incompetent ones." The proctor noted, smirking. "I will now give the problem, since forty-five minutes have already passed."

Everyone was suddenly at attention, wondering what this elusive tenth question would be, and the curiosity distracted Kumiko from her irritation.

"Yes, but before that, there's one thing I must say…There will be one special rule for this last question."

'A special rule?' She wondered. 'What kind of special rule?'

Just then, the door opened, and Kankuro stepped back in with one of the examiners, most likely returning from a bathroom break.

"You're lucky." Ibiki noted. "Your puppet show didn't have to go to waste. Oh well, sit down."

The proctor waited for Kankuro to sit before returning to the previous subject.

"I will now explain. This is…a hopeless rule."

Out of her peripheral, the Waterbender saw both Megumi and Kana straighten up in their seats, interested.

"First, you are all going to choose if you wish to take this tenth problem or not." Ibiki informed them.

"Choose?" Temari replied. "So what happens if we don't take the tenth problem?"

"If you choose not to take it, your points will be reduced to zero. In other words, you will fail. Your other two teammates will fail along with you."

The thought of failing was not particularly distressing for Kumiko; there were more important things than becoming a Chunin.

'Like mastering Earthbending.' She thought guiltily.

Still, Megumi and Kana had been looking forward to this…

Kumiko did not want to fail them.

"And here is the other rule." Ibiki voiced over the outcry. "If you choose to take it and you get it wrong, you will lose the privilege to take the Chunin Exam forever."

"Ya've gotta be SHITTIN' me!" Kana shouted, barely restraining herself from causing an earthquake. "What kinda rule is that?!"

"Yeah! There should be those here who have taken the Chunin Exam in the past!" Another Konoha Genin, Inuzuka Kiba, agreed.

When Ibiki started to chuckle, most of the room shuddered in response.

Kumiko thought it was a bit much.

"You were unlucky." The proctor retorted. "This year, I am the rule. That is why I gave you the option of quitting. Those who are not confident can choose not to take it, and take the exam next year, or the year after that."

Heart clenching painfully, she closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

The last thing Kumiko wanted to do was take away her friends' chances to become Chunin, but she did not want to make them all fail, either…

Gaara immediately noticed his angel's discomfort, and frowned.

"Let us begin." Ibiki ordered. "Those who will not be taking this tenth question, raise your hands. After we confirm your numbers, we will have you leave."

Silence reigned, and Kumiko fiddled with her hands, debating with herself.

Should she, or shouldn't she?

Meowing softly, Tomo placed his forepaws on her wrists and leaned up to rub against the girl's collarbone with a low purr, as if to say "Just relax."

Taking a deep breath, she looked towards her teammates.

Megumi's gold eyes were sharp, her competitive Firebender spirit shining forth, and Kana's entire body was tense, her inherent Earthbender stubbornness not allowing for retreat.

They were both willing to take the chance…

Blue met jade, and Kumiko smiled, at ease.

Failing was not the end of the world, anyway.

Eventually, Genin raised their hands and left with their squad, still shaking with nerves.

As bodies trickled out, Kumiko could see how nervous Naruto was getting.

It was clear this entire phase of the exam had put the boy into a near panic, and here he was, given a chance to get out…

'But he won't.' She thought. 'Naruto's a lot of things, but he's never given up when he wants something. He won't…'

Painfully slowly, the orange-wearing shinobi began to raise his hand, and her heart squeezed.

'Will he?'

That same hand came slamming down onto the desk, and Naruto stood, radiating fierce determination.

"Screw you! I'm not going to run away!" He shouted. "I'll take this problem! Even if I become a Genin forever, I'm going to become a Hokage no matter what anyway! I'm not scared!"

With that, the blonde sat down with a huff, and Kumiko smiled weakly.

'_Baka_…He scared me for a moment there…'

"I will ask one more time." The proctor warned. "This is the choice that will impact your life. If you want to quit, now is the chance."

"I'm not going to take back my words." Naruto vowed. "That's my _nindo_."

No one else raised their hands after that, taking strength from his words, and Ibiki smirked.

"Nice determination. Then, for the first phase, everyone here…"

That smirk grew into a smile.

"Passes!"

Even Kumiko was dumbstruck.

'What?'

"Wait, what's the meaning of that?" Sakura wondered. "We pass already? What about the tenth question?"

"There was no such thing to begin with." Ibiki replied lightheartedly. "Or you can call the two-choice question the tenth question."

"So what were those previous nine questions?" Temari demanded. "It was all a waste!"

"No it's not." The proctor explained. "The nine problems accomplished their purpose. The purpose to test each individual's information gathering skills."

Mentally, Kumiko cheered.

'Yes! We did it!'

Kana just smirked, arms crossed confidently, as Megumi hid a small smile, elbowing a grumbling Shikamaru in the ribs.

"This test's purpose lies in the first rule: your pass-fail decision is based on your three-man squads. By giving that idea, we have given you an unprecedented amount of pressure to try and not be a nuisance to your team." Ibiki explained. "But these test problems can not be solved by you Genin. So, most of the people here must have come to the conclusion 'I have to cheat to get points'. In other words, this exam assumed that everyone was going to cheat."

Megumi scoffed, almost insulted.

'Looks like a couple didn't have to cheat, after all.' Kumiko thought to herself, smiling.

"So, we snuck in two Chunin who knew the answers to be targets of cheating. But those who just cheated like a fool failed, of course."

The proctor began to undo his _hitai-ite_.

"Why?"

Kumiko covered her mouth in shock at the sight of numerous, painful-looking scars covering his entire head.

"Information can have greater value than life at times, and in missions and battlefields, information is contested with the lives of people."

Ibiki began to tie his _hitai-ite_ back into place as he continued.

"The information that an enemy gets after being noticed by a third person will not necessarily be accurate. Remember this. Getting incorrect information can cause great damage to your teammates and village. So, we made you gather information in the form of cheating. We kicked out those who were lacking in that field. That's what went on."

Kana seemed rather disgruntled, most likely because of the need to write, and Kumiko giggled at her childishness.

"But I still can't agree to that last question…" Temari voiced.

"But this tenth question was the main question of this first phase. The tenth question was a 'take or not take' choice. Needless to say, it was a painful two-choice problem. Those who did not take it failed with their teams. If you chose to take it, and could not answer it, your right to take the exam would have been taken away forever. It was a very insincere problem."

Ibiki looked over the room with sharp eyes.

"How about this two-choice problem: let's assume that you have become a Chunin. Your mission is to capture a secret document. The number of enemy ninja, their abilities, and armaments are unknown, and there may be traps that the enemy ninja have set up. Now, will you accept this mission or not? Just because your life and the lives of your teammates may be in danger, are you able to avoid dangerous missions? The answer is…"

There was a pregnant pause, and the proctor broke it with one word.

"No."

The word rumbled like thunder through Kumiko's chest, reverberating in her soul.

'_I can't keep running._'

"There are missions that carry heavy risks, but can not be avoided. The ability to show your courage to your teammates when needed, and the ability to get through a bad situation…That is what we look for in a Chunin, a squad leader. Those who can not bet their fate in a critical situation, those who give up when given the chance because there is a next year, and let their minds sway over an uncertain future…"

Ibiki's expression grew harsh.

"Fools who only carry a light determination like that have no right to become a Chunin. That is what I believe."

Kumiko felt guilty for a moment, because she _had_ swayed, if only for a few moments.

'But seeing how much my friends wanted it…Maybe that's enough.'

"I am saying that you here who have chosen to take it gave the right answer for the difficult tenth question. You can deal with the difficulties you will face." Ibiki finished.

"You have broken through the entrance. The first phase of the Chunin Selection ends now. I wish you luck."

Just as Naruto began to celebrate, a cloth bundle burst through the window.

Gaara pulled Kumiko into him, as if to act as a shield, as the bundle unfurled, revealing another face the Waterbender recognized.

"Everybody, there's no time to be happy. I am the second proctor, Mitarashi Anko. Let's go to the next phase! Follow me!"

One could almost hear the chirping of crickets, and Kumiko sighed with a slight smile.

"Oh, Anko-san…"

"Grasp the atmosphere." Ibiki advised, and the woman blushed in embarrassment before scanning the room.

"Ninety?" She accused, frowning. "Ibiki, you let thirty teams pass? The first phase must have been too soft."

"It looks like there are a lot of excellent students this time." Ibiki argued.

"Oh, well…I'm going to make more than half of the teams fail in the next exam." Anko promised with dark glee.

'She's getting carried away again…'

"I'm getting excited." The _Tokubetsu_ Jonin admitted, smiling. "I will explain the details tomorrow. We will go somewhere else, so ask your Jonin teachers about the rally point and time. That is all. Dismissed."

* * *

Night fell over Konohagakure, but it's darkness was muted by the lanterns and streetlamps lining the buildings.

Skirting along the edges of the light, Gaara approached the window leading into Kumiko's bedroom, peering in.

There were two windows, one facing east and the other west, as if to amplify the feel of outdoors by following the rising and setting of the sun.

The bed was just below the east window, where Kumiko was sleeping soundly under a mound of dark, shadowy furs.

Fubuki was sprawled on the floor, completely lax, but her ear twitched towards the window, showing she was aware of Gaara's presence.

When the canine made no other move to get up, the Jinchuriki took it as a sign to enter, and wasted no time in doing so.

Sand crept through the seams of the window, disarming any traps, before carefully lifting it.

The runners were creaky from lack of maintenance, but Gaara suspected that was on purpose.

No need to help an enemy sneak into your home, after all.

His weight shifted the mattress, and glowing green eyes stared at the intruder from the foot of the bed.

Returning that stare, Gaara waited for his furry enemy to make a move.

Eventually, Tomo yawned, jumping down to continue his rest in Fubuki's warm fur, and the Polar Bear Dog huffed in amusement.

Now that there were no more obstacles, Gaara turned his attention to the sleeping girl as she stirred.

Hair loose from it's usual braid, it tumbled off the bed like a waterfall, tinted gold from the faint lantern-light that filtered in.

A slight frown formed on her face, most likely sensing an unknown presence nearby, and those blue eyes fluttered open, still heavily fogged with sleep.

"Gaara…?"

"It's me." He replied softly, heart almost melting as Kumiko's entire body went lax at the discovery.

"Is something wrong?" She mumbled, rubbing cutely at her eyes to wake up further.

"No." Gaara assured, settling on his haunches as sand pulled the window closed.

Oasis eyes pierced straight through his armor, brushing against his soul.

"Then why are you here?"

Kumiko saw the sudden lost look cross the boy's face, and sat up.

Gaara had never looked more like a sad, vulnerable little boy than he did right then.

"…I don't know."

The Jinchuriki almost flinched at the butterfly-touch of fingers on his face, but the clear affection in Kumiko's entire aura put him at ease.

"It's alright…" She soothed, pulling Gaara into a hug, fingers carding through unruly red hair in a comforting manner.

Enveloped in her warmth, the boy slowly relaxed, burying his face in her neck as both arms wrapped around her waist.

It was not until then that Gaara realized that the hole in the chest, the hole that had been left gaping in his heart for so long, had pulled him to this.

Kumiko had filled it so well that, when they had to separate for a few hours, the pain had throbbed in the back of his mind like a bleeding wound.

What would Gaara do if she ever decided to leave?

If he had to leave?

At that moment, holding his angel close, the worries seemed almost surreal.

Feeling the tension leave his body, Kumiko smiled, slowly guiding them down properly onto the bed, careful not to jostle his grip.

Quietly, Fubuki reached up and pulled the furs over them, growling softly in contentment.

Sending the faithful canine a grateful look, the Waterbender curled into Gaara's warmth in a symbiotic search for comfort.

With a kiss to the bright red scar on his forehead, Kumiko began to slipped back into the world of dreams…

"Goodnight, Gaara…"

* * *

_**iie**_-no  
_**baka**_-idiot  
_**nindo**_-ninja way


	26. Chapter 26: The Forest of Death

Rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to erase the sleep from them more quickly, Kumiko yawned as she stumbled through the apartment to answer the door, dark blue tank top riding up her stomach and black pajama pants riding low on her hips.

Gaara had been rather unhappy about the interruption, but it was already morning and both needed to get ready for the next phase soon anyway.

Brushing her long, unbound hair over one shoulder, Kumiko opened the door, blinking up at the person standing on the other side.

"_Oniisan_?" She muttered, recognizing Asuma after a couple moments when her brain whirred to life.

"_Ohayo_, _imouto_." The Jonin greeted, amused by his adopted sister's bed-ruffled appearance. "I thought you might appreciate me taking the kids off your hands while you're busy with the exam."

Those bright blue eyes widened, surprised.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"I want to." Asuma assured, ruffling her hair and stepping inside. "You have enough to worry about without those kids. I'm always happy to help my _imouto_ when she's in need."

"Oh, yeah?" Kumiko challenged. "And what about bath day?"

"She _bites_." Asuma whined, giving the most pathetic expression he could muster.

"Ki-chan's a sweetheart." She replied, smiling. "It's your fault for pulling her tail."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Leading her Jonin brother to the children's bedroom, Kumiko smiled at his defeated tone.

"Is your team ready for the next phase?"

"They should be, if they're not being lazy."

"That's what you get for taking the easy way." Kumiko scolded lightheartedly, opening the door.

The room was dark, curtains drawn against the faint dawn light, and the four bodies were sprawled on the large queen-sized bed.

While the children had permanent rooms at the Hokage Mansion, since there was plenty of space there, none had wanted to leave the night before and had insisted on a sleepover.

Stepping inside, Kumiko pushed aside the curtains and let the sun rouse her charges from a sound sleep.

Tomoko's snores dissolved with a snort as she woke up, rubbing messily at her eyes, while Rei choked on his drool in surprise, shooting up and falling off the bed in the process.

Benjiro groaned at all of the noise and light, levering himself up with a yawn.

With a few slurred words about it being too early, Yei stretched leisurely, blinking hazel eyes clear of dreams.

"Time to get up, little ones." Kumiko urged softly, lifting Tomoko up and setting her on the floor with a smile. "Uncle Asuma is going to take care of you while I take the next test, so you need to hurry up and get dressed."

"What about breakfast?" Yei wondered, yawning as she was also lifted from the mattress and placed on her feet, soon followed by her blonde brother.

"I'm sure Asuma-_ojisan_ would love to get all of you breakfast." Kumiko assured, holding back laughter at the panicked look the man sent her way. "So let's not waste any time, okay?"

Excited by the prospect of getting to choose where to eat, Tomoko and Rei jumped to find clothes, followed by their more sedate, but no less excited, siblings.

Herding Asuma out of the room, the Waterbender knocked on the next door, signaling to Megumi and Kana that it was time to get ready.

For now, she was glad that Gaara had insisted on staying in her room.

Though she loved Asuma like a blood-brother, he was very overprotective of Kumiko when it came to boys, even though she had never shown any interest before.

It would not be for quite a few years that Kumiko realized Asuma's protectiveness was because boys had taken interest in _her_.

As the white-haired kunoichi thought of what to make for a quick breakfast, and what to put in the _bento_, the children burst into the front room and almost tackled Asuma in their excitement.

Giggling as the Jonin struggled to remain standing, Kumiko lifted all four into a bear hug.

"Now, be nice to Asuma-_ojisan_!" She scolded playfully. "If you knock him over, he'll break a hip and won't be able to buy you breakfast!"

A slew of apologies came forth, with Tomoko clinging to the man's leg begging for forgiveness and pancakes.

Laughing at their foolishness, Asuma took the flock of children and herded them towards the door with assurances of a large breakfast.

"_Arigato_, _oniisan_." Kumiko told him, sincere.

Knowing how much she worried for them, Asuma smiled back, ruffling her loose hair.

"It's no trouble, _imouto_. Just do your best in the exam."

Her entire face lit up.

"_Hai_!"

Just as the door closed behind them, strong arms wrapped around the kunoichi's waist from behind, a chin resting on her shoulder.

"You took too long." Gaara chided, only half-interested in a reply as he nuzzled the soft skin of Kumiko's neck.

"G-Gaara…"

Kumiko stumbled over his name, caught off-guard by his sudden appearance and the butterflies filling her torso.

"You can't put off the public displays of affection for a more reasonable hour?" Megumi voiced from the kitchen, filling the tea kettle. "I've already been kicked in the face once because of it."

Kumiko was about to ask what she meant when the darkening bruise on the Firebender's cheek became visible.

"Kana was half-asleep and thought you were an assassin at first." Megumi explained, rubbing the bruise with a frown. "Apparently, she thought kicking me was the only way to get me up."

"Jeez, said I was sorry…" Kana grumbled, shuffling into the room with a yawn that would make an Armadillo Lion proud. "Next time, gimme a little warning, red. Almost got my face burned off fer my trouble."

Jade eyes widened in surprise, locking with unseeing green.

"What?"

The Earthbender paused in grabbing an apple, one brow rising in question.

"Whatta ya mean 'what'? Hothead's cranky when I wake 'er up 'fore sunrise, so just let me know it's ya."

"Not that." He retorted, brow furrowing. "Why did you call me 'red'?"

"Oh, that?"

The Earthbender shrugged, cleaning off an apple on her sleeping shirt.

"I 'ave nicknames fer all my friends."

For once, Shukaku had nothing to say.

They thought of him as a friend?

Dazed by the nonchalant admission, Gaara nodded, warmth filling his entire body at the dazzling smile on Kumiko's face…

* * *

The forest towered over them like a lumbering giant, barely contained by the tall wire fencing at the perimeter, and seemed to give off it's own chill.

Kumiko shivered, recognizing the feeling.

'It's the chill of death.'

Her teammates seemed unaffected, but they said nothing while waiting for everyone to arrive, not even bantering amongst themselves the entire time.

That alone was enough to make Kumiko nervous.

Though she was skilled in ninja arts, like Taijutsu and weapons' accuracy, the Waterbender had much less practical application than her teammates.

Most of the conflicts Kumiko had been a part of were spars, but her early training in Waterbending, then Taijutsu, had made them quick.

But here…

Here, there would be death.

"This place is where the second phase will take place." Anko informed the group of Genin, smirking. "The forty-fourth training area…also known as the Forest of Death."

An ominous wind blew, and Megumi sighed, eyes wandering clinically over the other competitors.

"A survival test." She deduced, uninterested. "Most likely involving a primary objective using both information-gathering and tactics against other squads. There will be some fighting here."

Kana grinned hugely, looking as pleased as the Unagi that had caught the Elephant Koi.

"'Bout time, if ya ask me."

Anko smirked, seeing the unease spread across the faces of the younger Genin.

"You will be able to experience why this place is called the Forest of Death."

Seeing Naruto's irritated expression, Kumiko felt her stomach drop into her intestines.

'Oh, don't you _dare_…'

"_You will be able to experience why this place is called the Forest of Death_." The blonde mocked. "There's no point in trying to scare us like that! I'm not scared at all!"

A sharp edge appeared in Anko's smirk.

"Really? You sure are energetic."

Quick as lightning, a kunai was in the woman's hand, glinting in the sunlight-

Then Kumiko was there, deflecting the sharp projectile and catching it on a harmless descent.

"I thought we agreed that you weren't going to threaten the competitors, Anko-san." She chided.

For a moment, there was silence, and Gaara's sand began to react violently to the implied threat.

Then a real smile crossed Anko's face, lopsided and mischievous, as she pat the now-annoyed kunoichi Genin on the head.

"Aw, don't be like that, Mimi-chan. I was only playing."

Pouting at being treated like a child, Kumiko grumbled.

"I hope Ki-chan does her business on your lawn again."

The _Tokubetsu_ Jonin visibly paled, and laughed nervously as said Polar Bear Dog stood up at attention, Tomo lounging on her head.

"Oh, you wouldn't wish that on your favorite _obasan_, would you?"

The girl's eyes narrowed, a promise, and Anko removed her hand slowly, chuckling softly in defeat.

"Alright, alright. I'll stop."

Brightening, Kumiko handed the woman her kunai.

"_Arigato_, Anko-san."

Hiding a smile, Anko turned, waving the words away.

"Yeah, yeah…"

Sliding the kunai back into place, the _Tokubetsu_ Jonin faced the crowd with a sharp smile.

A shiver ran down the foreign nin's spines.

Though Kumiko had defended Naruto from the woman's wrath, it was likely that, if Anko tried with one of _them_, she would not do the same thing again.

"This is going to be interesting." Anko mused, glad to still have so much fear at her disposal. "Before we begin to second phase, I'm going to pass these out to everyone."

A pack of papers was retrieved from her jacket, and Kumiko read the words 'Consent Form' emblazoned on the top.

"Those taking this exam must sign these. From here on, people will die. Therefore, we need people's consent before we continue."

The woman giggled.

"Otherwise, I'd be held responsible."

Kumiko stifled a giggle at Kana's incredulous expression, scratching behind Fubuki's ears.

"Damn, I think they're really tryin' ta kill us!"

"More like putting us in the prime position to be killed." Megumi informed neutrally.

"What, are ya coverin' 'eir asses now? If they wanna kill us, they might as well say it!"

"They are sending us into a place called the _Forest of Death_." The Firebender reminded, brow raised. "Did you need them to say it?"

"Woulda been nice…" The brunette grumbled, arms crossed petulantly.

"Now, I will begin the explanation of the second phase." Anko stated, grabbing everyone's attention. "To be concise, you will all go through an extreme survival match."

The consent forms were being passed around as the woman continued, opening a scroll that featured a map.

"First, I'll explain the training area's geographical features. The forty-fourth training area is a circular region surrounded by forty-four locked gate entrances. There is a river, a forest, and a tower in the middle. The tower is approximately ten kilometers away from the gates."

Studying the placement of everything closely, Megumi was already formulating a plan, mind whirring through the possibilities.

"Inside this limited space, you will have to go through a certain survival program. The program consists of a competition where anything goes…" Anko explained, pausing to pull two stouter scrolls from her jacket. "Over these scrolls."

Kumiko read the seals holding them closed, and found that the white one read 'Heaven' and the dark one 'Earth'.

"The Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth. You will fight over these scrolls." Anko clarified. "Thirty teams in total passed the first phase. Half of those teams will get the Scroll of Heaven. The other half will get the Scroll of Earth. Bring the Scrolls of Heaven and Earth to the tower with your teammates to pass."

"In other words, the fifteen teams, or half the people here, that get their scrolls taken will fail." Sakura deduced.

"Unless someone decides to get rid of the competition." Megumi voiced ominously.

"But it needs to be done within the time limit." The proctor stated, retrieving any lost attention. "This second phase has a limit of one hundred and twenty hours, or exactly five days."

"Five days?!"

"What about food?!"

Squad Ten erupted in disbelief, and Kana snickered at their panic.

"Scrounge it up yourself." The woman replied off-handedly. "The forest is a treasure box of nature. There should be plenty of food."

"Though there are a lot of man-eating beasts, poison bugs, and poisonous plants." Kabuto voiced.

"Also, it is not possible for fifteen teams, or forty-five people, to pass." Neji deduced.

"As time passes, you will be required to move more. So, the time to rest your body will become shorter." Lee agreed, smiling. "This seems quite rough."

"And we're surrounded by enemies." Sasuke noted. "We won't be able to sleep in peace."

Anko looked over the groups, hands on her hips.

"People will get hurt in the process of fighting over a scroll, and those who can not bear this program's strictness will emerge, as well."

"Excuse me, can we quit in the middle?" Shikamaru wondered, hand raised lazily.

He almost flinched at the glare Megumi sent his way for thinking that way.

'Troublesome woman…'

"As a rule, you are not allowed to give up during the exam." Anko replied, smiling. "You will spend the five days in the forest."

"Just as I thought…" He mumbled. "How troublesome."

"While we're on this topic, here are the conditions that will fail you." Anko voiced. "First, a team that can not bring both scrolls to the tower with all three teammates will fail. Second, the team that loses a teammate or produces an unrecoverable teammate will fail. Also, just as a note, you are not allowed to look inside the scrolls until you reach the tower."

"What happens if you look?" Naruto wondered, truly curious.

"That's a surprise you'll see when you look at it." Anko replied mischievously. "If you become a Chunin, you will be handling top secret documents. It's to determine your reliability."

The Jonin straightened, serious once more.

"That is it for the explanation. We will exchange three consent forms for one scroll at that hut, and after picking your gate entrance, everyone will begin at the same time."

Looking down at the paper in her hands, Kumiko let out a heavy breath, growing concerned.

"Here's a last piece of advice…"

Anko looked each of them in the eye.

"Don't die."

* * *

Having read through the form, Megumi signed at the bottom with the swift, concise script that had been hammered into her since she could hold a pen.

Kumiko hesitated before following suit, but Kana wasted no time in messily applying her name to the paper, ready to go.

The three shared a glance, remembering the plan.

Sensing a dark intent, Fubuki rolled back onto her feet, turning to the approaching nin with bared fangs and raised hackles.

Reacting to her Animal Guide's sudden shift in mood, Kumiko faced the unknown shinobi, eyes narrowed in distrust.

If the chill of the forest had been unsettling, the one coming from that boy was almost panic-inducing, like the smell of death clung to him.

Kumiko had never been so afraid of someone before.

Instinctively, Kana and Meg step between this possible threat and their Avatar, the Firebender already gripping the hilt of her Dao Swords.

A dark light filled his eyes, as if glad for the challenge, and Kumiko's anxiety spiked as Tomo hissed, arching against her neck.

Then Gaara was there, sand swirling violently in his gourd and eyes narrowed in a glare, promising pain and death if another step was taken.

The Grass nin looked between the angry Jinchuriki and the defensive kunoichi with a clinical coldness that left Kumiko feeling horribly exposed.

After a few moments, the Kusagakure ninja smirked, slowly backing off.

"So defensive…I only wanted to ask the lady a question."

Those black eyes locked on her, filled with malicious glee.

"How do you plan on protecting them in the forest, little girl?"

The words struck a raw nerve, and Kumiko felt the pain spread throughout her entire body like a wave of acid.

Inside the Forest of Death, it would be every squad for themselves.

How could she protect them in there?

For a moment, she gave in to the seemingly indisputable thought that she couldn't protect them, that they were likely to die in there and there was nothing she could do to stop it…

'_No_.'

Oasis blue darkened to an icy midnight.

'Never again.'

The strange boy was stunned by the steely determination in her face, an immovable object and an unstoppable force all in one.

"Just try and stop me."

For just a moment, it was clear that the Kusagakure nin did not want to.

* * *

Megumi was seriously questioning the sanity of some foreign competitors, staring up at the gate her team would enter through.

It was quite obvious that Kumiko's Water Tribe upbringing, and tragedy, made her more than formidable in battle when properly riled.

So why would anyone do such a thing _on purpose_?

Were they testing her skills?

Her limit?

The Firebender scoffed.

'Most likely trying to prove their strength, and underestimating the enemy.'

She planned to do no such thing.

That was why their Scroll of Heaven was safely in Kana's keeping; of the three, she seemed like the smaller threat in comparison to Megumi, who was the oldest and deemed more experienced, and Kumiko, who had displayed her ferocity and skill before the first phase.

Just the thought of someone trying to intimidate the violent little Earthbender was enough to make a smirk cross Megumi's face.

This might be fun.

* * *

Bored with waiting for the test to start, Kana stretched her Seismic Sense, encompassing the entire training area in her 'sight'.

It stretched twenty kilometers in all directions, with a large tower in the middle that barely beat out the trees in height.

Teams stood at most of the gates; some fidgeting, others staying still, but all of their hearts were racing.

Kana found their nervousness rather perplexing, actually.

Sure, this survival test promised to be a good challenge, but if they really felt ready for it, why were they so worried?

Personally, Kana was looking forward to it.

It had been _ages _since she was allowed to crush someone.

* * *

The moment their gate opened, the three kunoichi went in, adopting a travel formation without speaking.

Kumiko took the lead with Fubuki and Tomo, to look out for danger, while Kana kept back to defend from a rear attack and Megumi ran between them, to back up either of her teammates if needed.

The trio traveled like this for a solid hour or two until a dark presence brushed against the edge of Kumiko's awareness.

Stopping on a branch, trying to pinpoint that nagging sense of _wrongness_, the Waterbender froze at the distinct feeling that something _horrible_ had just happened.

"Tomo, I need you to stay with Meg and Kana."

The tabby meowed pitifully, not wanting to, and Kumiko nuzzled the furry red face with a hum as Megumi and Kana caught up.

"Please? For me?"

After a moment, the cat purred softly in acquiescence, jumping from his owner's shoulder to Megumi's.

"I need to go." Kumiko told them, swinging onto Fubuki's back with practiced ease. "Keep going without me. We'll meet up later."

Megumi sighed, nodding.

"Of course."

Grateful, the young Avatar-in-training gave both of them a bright smile before her steed took off, heading towards danger.

Kana frowned, hands curling into fists.

"Ya think she'll be a'right?"

Eyeing her teammate coolly, the Firebender reached up to soothe Tomo's anxiety.

"I hope so."

* * *

A growl rumbled up from Fubuki's chest, growing with each bound, signaling their approach to whatever danger Kumiko had sensed.

Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, the white-haired kunoichi urged her Animal Guide forward.

A scream echoed through the trees.

"SASUKE-KUN!"

Bursting onto the scene, with the Kusagakure nin moments from biting into Sasuke's neck, Kumiko leapt into the fray without a second thought.

Water slammed into the long neck like shuriken, distracting the shinobi from his goal long enough for Kumiko to reach him.

Encasing her fist in ice, the Waterbender picked up speed and punched the Kusagakure ninja across the face.

As the frozen water shattered at the impact, his neck retracted swiftly as if to protect the vulnerable windpipe and veins from further assault.

Landing on a thick branch, Kumiko stood, unaware of the faint glow coming from her tattoos.

"Oh, it's you, little girl…"

The snake-man stood, licking his lips with an abnormally stretched tongue.

"I suppose I should have been expecting you. You have such an entertaining sense of loyalty."

Power bubbled, hot inside her bones, and it took everything Kumiko had to keep from bursting at the sadistic gleam in that strange gold eye.

"Leave-them-_alone_."

Looking over the small, harmless-looking kunoichi, he said the one word he should not have.

"Never."

Kumiko's control splintered like thin ice, and the air whipped itself into a frenzy as her eyes were overcome by white light.

At that moment, Orochimaru realized he had miscalculated.

This foreign energy washed over Kumiko's consciousness like a tsunami hitting the shore, dimming her awareness of what was happening outside her body.

All she knew was the raging wind and the evil snake that threatened everything she loved.

Blades of air rushed out of the sphere being made around her, striking the snake-man like physical blows and sending him flying back from the force.

The assault suddenly ceased, and the disguised Oto nin looked up to see the kunoichi, eyes still blindingly white and tattoos bright, building up a massive sphere of air.

She said one word in a thousand voices, fierce and calm.

"Die."

With that, the white-haired Avatar unleashed a hurricane, which picked the snake-man up like a rag-doll and threw him deep into the forest.

Sasuke and Sakura could only watch the entire thing in wonder, dumbfounded.

What had just happened?

The glow faded, and Kumiko fell to her knees, dazed by the sudden thrust back into the control seat.

"Chiyo-sama!" Sakura shouted in worry.

"I'm fine…" Kumiko assured, forcing herself to stand despite the lightness of her head.

Looking the two over for injuries, her mouth twisted into a frown at the stab wound in Sasuke's thigh, blood still seeping out.

_Blood, blood everywhere, screams and fire and_-

Forcefully shoving the nightmare images from her mind, Kumiko jumped to the branch they sat on, pulling water to her hand and pressing the glowing liquid to his wound.

His cells reacted, and multiplied rapidly under her chi's urging, knitting the skin and muscle together quickly.

With that done, the Waterbender stood, turning as Fubuki arrived with an unconscious Naruto held carefully in her jaws.

"Come on." Kumiko ordered, taking the blonde nin into her arms. "We need to find a safe place for you to rest. It's going to be dark soon."

Sasuke hesitated, the thought that she might betray them now crossing his mind, but Sakura had no such reservations.

This was the Sandaime's daughter, the little girl with sad blue eyes, and even contemplating a betrayal felt like one in return.

Climbing onto the Polar Bear Dog's back, the pink-haired kunoichi accepted her unconscious teammate as Kumiko turned to Sasuke, eyebrow raised in question.

"We don't have a scroll anymore." The Uchiha informed her. "You won't get anything out of this."

"Sasuke-kun!"

For the second time he could remember, Sakura was both disappointed and angry with him.

Kumiko looked truly confused, and Sasuke began to see the foolishness of his suspicions.

The thought had not even crossed her mind.

"I wasn't expecting to get anything…" The Waterbender replied. "Why would I have?"

Shutting his mouth with an audible 'click', the Uchiha climbed onto Fubuki's back without another word, ignoring Kumiko's curious gaze.

Deciding that it was not important at the moment, she signaled for the Polar Bear Dog to follow and took off into the trees.

Sakura had never known anything could cover ground so quickly, and the massive canine did so as if this were the most effortless thing in the world, jumping from branch to branch and scaling gargantuan roots with ease.

Running a few feet ahead, Kumiko ducked and weaved through the foliage, gaze sweeping over the area in search of a safe place to camp.

A small clearing caught her eye, where nature had dug a little cavern amid a tree's roots.

Stopping on a tree branch, hidden from sight but still able to observe this possible campsite, Kumiko waited for her Animal Guide to catch up.

Landing with barely a sound, Fubuki crouched down low to stay hidden, waiting for orders.

With a jerk of her head towards the clearing, the Waterbender rocked back on her heels as the Polar Bear Dog raised her head to scent the air.

After a few moments, the canine's tail wagged, a sign that everything was as it should be.

Smiling, Kumiko dropped to the ground, strolling fearlessly across the open space.

Sasuke and Sakura were not quite as confident when Fubuki followed, probing the trees with their eyes as if expecting an attack.

"Don't worry." Kumiko assured, smiling. "There aren't any teams for at least two kilometers around. Ki-chan would have said if there were."

"You're sure?" Sakura wondered, nervous.

"Of course I am." The smaller girl replied, leading her Animal Guide down amid the overarching roots. "Right, Ki-chan?"

The Polar Bear Dog woofed, tail wagging more energetically, as Team Seven dismounted.

Scratching affectionately behind the canine's ear, Kumiko turned to help lay Naruto on the soft dirt.

Finding no visible wounds, her worry grew.

What had happened?

Unzipping the blonde's jacket and folding it into a pillow, she coated her palm in water and ghosted along his chakra paths in search of damage.

Sakura watched in amazement as her hands moved, remembering how quickly that same glowing liquid had healed Sasuke's injury.

She hoped it worked for Naruto, too.

Head, shoulders, arms, chest-

The moment her chi dipped into the well of chakra in Naruto's stomach, dark chakra rushed up and forcefully shoved her out.

Hissing at the suddenness of it, feeling her chi pulse as if burned, Kumiko pulled away sharply.

Fubuki whined in concern, ears back and tail tucked low, as Sakura and Sasuke jerked forward in surprise.

"Chiyo-sama!"

"What happened?"

Massaging the burning tingle from her palms, Kumiko frowned while studying Naruto's stomach.

"Well, _that's_ never happened before…" She muttered.

Replacing the water in one of her pouches, the white-haired kunoichi raised her head with a sigh.

"Did he do some sort of _jutsu_ on Naruto?"

"Well…" Sakura started, unsure. "It looked like Orochimaru pulled some dark chakra to his hand and hit Naruto in the stomach…"

Mind racing with the possibilities, being inexperienced with high-level _jutsu_ like this, Kumiko straightened up.

"There's nothing I can do if I'm being pushed out. We'll just have to wait."

"There's no time to wait." The Uchiha argued. "We need to keep moving and get two scrolls."

"If you go on without Naruto, you'll fail anyway." Kumiko countered. "Take the time to rest while you can."

Sasuke clenched his jaw, unable to argue and growing increasingly unwilling to do so.

The fight against Orochimaru had severely depleted his chakra, and he was likely to knock out anytime now.

Expression softening in understanding, Kumiko stood, motioning for Fubuki to head out first.

"I'll keep watch. You should get some sleep."

The boy did not argue with her, and was soon fast asleep the way only a trained ninja could manage.

This left the two kunoichi and the Polar Bear Dog on watch, and Kumiko was looking out into the forest with a contemplative frown.

"…Sakura-chan."

Startled, the pink-haired Genin looked up, at attention.

"_Hai_, Chiyo-sama?"

The frown softened into something more like a smile as Kumiko turned back towards her comrade.

"There's no need to be so formal. Kumiko-chan or Mimi-chan is fine."

"But…" Sakura argued, unsure

"We're the same age, Sakura-chan." Kumiko reminded gently. "I haven't earned that kind of respect."

The taller kunoichi frowned, feeling that this called for a conversation in a less-deadly location about how wrong the petite kunoichi was, but said nothing.

When no argument seemed forthcoming, the Waterbender continued her original thought.

"I need to get my team. They must have run into a few teams by now, and may have an extra scroll for you guys to start off with."

"Really?"

Honestly, Sakura could not fathom two kunoichi strong enough to get two scrolls by themselves, especially without Kumiko's help.

Seeing the disbelief on her face, the young Avatar-in-training smiled.

"I wouldn't underestimate Meg and Kana, if I was you." She advised, stepping out onto open ground. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but you're in charge of them while I'm gone."

Adrenaline hit the battered kunoichi's bloodstream, and she shot up, grabbing onto Kumiko's hand in a futile attempt to make her stay.

The thought of being alone, the only line of defense for an exhausted Sasuke and unconscious Naruto, was terrifying.

Sakura was not strong enough.

Reading the fear as if it was ingrained in the emerald of her eyes, Kumiko took firm hold of the taller kunoichi's shoulders, gaze firm and a few shades darker than before.

"Sakura."

Her stern voice cut through the girl's growing panic, forcing her attention on Kumiko's words.

"This is your team. Your team is your family, and you need to protect them, no matter what. Family means no one gets left behind, or…"

For a moment, Kumiko faltered, a sheen of tears coming forth before she pushed past it.

"Or forgotten. You can do this, because they need you right now. I really believe you can do this."

Absorbing her words, Sakura nodded, straightening.

"O-Okay…"

With a reassuring smile, the white-haired Waterbender stepped back, putting a hand on Fubuki's shoulder.

"I won't be gone long. I'll be back before you know it."

Swinging onto the Polar Bear Dog's broad back, Kumiko sent Team Seven one last glance before they disappeared into the trees.

Watching her go, Sakura soothed her worries with the girl's words, and started preparing for whatever might come.

After all, Kumiko was counting on her.

* * *

_**ojisan**_-uncle

_**imouto**_-little sister

_**obasan**_-aunt


	27. Chapter 27: Storm

Trees blurred past as Kumiko ran across their branches, keeping an eye on her Polar Bear Dog in case they needed to change course.

Apparently, Megumi and Kana had covered quite a bit of distance in the few hours the squad had separated, and Kumiko had to go at top speed in the hopes of catching up within the next hour or two.

'They must have gotten at least two scrolls by now.' She thought, jumping to the next branch with only the strength of her legs.

While most ninja would use chakra to do the same, the Waterbender did not have the luxury.

Secure in the knowledge that Megumi would have insisted on at least two complete sets, she focused solely on finding her teammates and returning to Squad 7 quickly.

Though Kumiko knew that Sakura would do her best, it was painfully obvious that she had almost no combat experience, or even _jutsu_, to help in case the trio were found.

She would have stayed, guarded them until Naruto had awoken and Sasuke was fully recovered, but finding her teammates was crucial.

Tomo was probably worried sick, yowling and whining, and she felt bad for leaving him behind.

Fubuki suddenly growled, and Kumiko was immediately on alert.

A flurry of _senbon_ came down on her from the right, so she leapt up and out of the way, using one hand to grasp an overhead branch and twist to avoid the second barrage.

Pushing off before the final assault could meet it's mark, Kumiko landed in an open clearing, out of branches to hide in.

The Polar Bear Dog followed, unscathed, and landed behind her owner with an annoyed growl.

Agreeing with her Animal Guide, she pulled out a kunai as three Amegakure nin landed a few yards away.

They were all a few years older than her, eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing heavy cloaks with umbrella strapped to their backs.

Judging by the numbers, and that they were not safely hidden away, Kumiko deduced that they were for more than shielding from the rain.

The foremost man, who was the only one of the trio not wearing a straw hat, stepped forward confidently, the smirk he was trying to make twisted into a grimace from the scars across the right side of his face.

"Looks like we found ourselves a lost little girl, boys."

Fubuki bared her teeth, hackles rising, and only Kumiko's upraised hand kept the Polar Bear Dog from ripping the fool's throat out.

"I don't have a scroll." The Waterbender stated clearly, knuckles turning white. "There's no point in fighting."

The man's single eye was maliciously dark, roving over her in a way that made Kumiko's skin crawl.

"Actually, I think there is."

Blue eyes narrowed, darkening slightly, as Fubuki crouched down in preparation to pounce.

"No, there isn't."

The veneer of patience cracked, revealing his growing irritation with a scowl, and even the other two tensed up as if expecting a fight.

"So we're doing this the hard way? Fine." He growled, pulling two umbrella free of their holsters and holding them like one would a club. "You're going to wish you hadn't."

Without another word, Kumiko slid into a fighting stance, immovable.

Kana's lessons seem to have stuck, after all.

* * *

With a soft sigh, Megumi straightened from her crouch, flicking blood off her swords with a practiced wrist.

Tomo resumed his place on her shoulder as Kana went about retrieving the scroll, while the Firebender took the downed kunoichi's scarf to better clean her blades of gore.

The cat would not settle peacefully; he paced across the redhead's bandaged shoulders, meowing anxiously, tail flicking quickly to and fro.

As if absorbing the feline's restlessness, Megumi became increasingly agitated, though she took pains not to show it.

Once her blades were clean, Megumi lifted her head to see how Kana was progressing.

"Got it!" The brunette assured, holding up the Heaven Scroll they had come for. "Ya don't wanna know where it was, but it's better than nothin'."

Deciding to follow her advice and not wonder about the scroll's hiding place, the Firebender sheathed her blades.

"That makes three full sets." She noted. "Should be enough. Let's find Kumiko."

"Yeah, yeah…" Kana grumbled, stowing their new find away before slamming her bare heel against the forest floor.

As her Seismic Sense stretched across the Forest of Death, Megumi waited patiently, soothing Tomo with a scratch behind the ears.

The sudden tension in the younger girl's jaw and shaking fists had the red-haired girl on high alert.

"Kana?"

"Someone's after sweet'eart."

Without a moment's hesitation, the pair of kunoichi took off into the trees, intent on their new prey.

* * *

To see a Waterbender fight is like watching a dancer perform, graceful and swift, and Kumiko was no exception.

Side-stepping a powerful downward stroke, the white-haired kunoichi spun into a crouch to avoid a follow-up strike, slashing the side of her opponent's knee with her kunai.

As the Amegakure nin cried out, leg buckling, she kicked the back of his injured knee, grabbing his shoulder and throwing him in one motion.

The main difference between a Waterbender and a dancer?

Waterbenders are never to be underestimated.

One of the other Rain shinobi moved to help his teammate, but Fubuki pounced on him, sinking her fangs into his shoulder.

Leaping clear of any possible retaliation, Kumiko whistled sharply, calling off the Polar Bear Dog's assault.

The pair watched as the Amegakure ninja regrouped, one with a wounded leg, another with a near-useless arm, and the last confused, unable to process what had happened.

Kumiko very much wished that they would just retreat and leave her be, but knew that things would not end so easily.

The swift trouncing had clearly tarnished the older boy's male pride, she could see it in his unscarred eye, and no man ever allowed such a thing to go unpunished.

Fubuki bared her blood-stained teeth in warning, muscles tensed in preparation to pounce, but stilled when Kumiko placed her hand on the canine's shoulder.

She did not want Fubuki hurt because of someone's ego.

Most of the team, mainly the one that had been half-mauled by Fubuki's fangs, seemed rather eager to withdraw rather than pick another fight.

Unfortunately for them, their leader had other plans.

Umbrellas still in hand, he popped them open and threw them into the air with a flick of the wrist, where they floated ominously.

Water pouches uncorked themselves with an inaudible '**pop**', the liquid inside beginning to swirl in time with her racing heart, as Fubuki pressed against her owner's side, entire body vibrating with nervous energy.

_Senbon_ filled the air like deadly raindrops, and the canine fell into a defensive crouch with a sharp growl as Kumiko let out a forcibly-calm breath of icy mist.

'They're being controlled by chakra.' She reasoned, watching the deadly needles fly through the air with coordinated ease. 'Even if I dodge, they will only follow me…So there's only one thing to do.'

Steeling herself, Kumiko motioned subtly for her Animal Guide to fall back at the first opportunity, water slowly pooling out of the water pouches to wait just beneath her hands.

'Fight through the pain.'

With a sadistic grimace, the angry shinobi made a hand sign.

"_Senbon Rainstorm_!"

To the boy's surprise, instead of falling back, Kumiko pushed herself _forward_, right into the _senbon_ storm.

Ignoring the needles that embedded themselves in her skin, the Waterbender pulled her arm back, encasing the entire limb in ice and-

The Amegakure nin was too stunned to avoid the reinforced fist that struck him in the face.

He flew back into a tree, dazed by the blow, and his teammates could only stare in wonder at the bleeding, needle-pierced kunoichi that had somehow survived a nearly invincible _jutsu_.

Trembling from the pain, Kumiko put pressure on a particularly bad puncture wound on her right shoulder, trying to stem the heavy flow of blood.

Her entire body was littered with needles, and her cheeks had been sliced open by some near misses, but she refused to fall.

Fubuki snarled, lunging forward, when the two moved to grab their own weapons, falling short at the sight of Kumiko's swift glare.

The exchange was swift and silent, but the dog eventually shook herself with a huff, taking off into the trees in search of help.

With a deep, fortifying breath, Kumiko faced her opponents, the ice thawing on her skin.

A woman's work is never done.


	28. Chapter 28: Blood

With a soft hiss of pain, Kumiko removed a deeply-embedded _senbon_ from her thigh, watching the fresh spray of blood with hazy blue eyes.

Dropping the needle onto the ever-growing pile of bloody metal, she scanned the unconscious shinobi on the other side of the clearing, checking that they were still harmless.

Reassured, the Waterbender returned to the laborious task of removing the needles from her body, doing her best to ignore the-_blood, blood on her hands, melting the snow into slush and screams echoing off the ice_-blood that still trickled from her wounds.

Grasping a needle that was stuck awkwardly into her elbow, Kumiko bit her lip to keep from crying out as it was removed, blinking back tears.

'Must have been near a nerve…' She reasoned, out of breath.

"Kumiko!"

"Sweet'eart!"

Lifting her head with some difficulty, she smiled weakly.

"Meg, Kana…"

Megumi did not waste a moment reaching her side, a frown marring her face as she took in all of the puncture wounds, slices, and bruises covering Kumiko's body.

"Damn, sweet'eart, did ya jump inta a meat grinder?" Kana teased, barely scrounging up a light enough tone for it.

Kumiko managed a slightly better smile, seeing through her friend's act.

"More like a storm of _senbon_."

"Amegakure nin are known for their use of senbon, as well as their Water-style _jutsu_." Megumi noted, taking a moment to glare at the downed squad. "I suppose we can add lack of moral fiber to the list as well."

"Sick bastards…" Kana growled, hands clenching into angry fists. "I oughta crush 'em right now!"

"No!" Kumiko shouted, wincing when her attempt to stand was thwarted by a fresh wave of pain.

Megumi jerked forward, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders to keep the Waterbender upright.

"Be careful." She scolded, carefully removing the girl's water pouches.

"Whatta ya mean 'no'?" Kana argued, growing increasingly cross. "They deserve it fer 'urtin' ya! If I'd been 'ere when 'ey tried it, I'd 'ave smacked 'eir 'eads clean off!"

"No more." Kumiko replied, firm.

Megumi sighed at the tension that formed between her teammates, shooing Tomo away to keep the feline from the fresh blood and oozing wounds.

Surprisingly, Kana gave in, arms crossed huffily as she turned her head away.

"Yeah, yeah…"

Kumiko relaxed slowly, wincing as the red-haired kunoichi went about removing the last few needles from her back.

Tomo meowed anxiously, licking at the girl's bloody fingers, and was comforted when those fingers scratched underneath his chin.

"I'm alright, Tomo-kun…" The Waterbender cooed, forcing her body not to tense up as another _senbon_ was removed.

A thought occurred to her tired mind, and Kumiko scanned the clearing in confusion.

"Where's Ki-chan?"

Her friends paused, confused.

"She's not with you?" Megumi questioned.

The younger kunoichi shook her head 'no', growing worried.

"I sent her for help in the middle of the fight…Where did she go?"

* * *

Despite what many people would be inclined to believe, Fubuki is a very bright creature.

She was not restricted to base animal instincts like her brethren, a blessing given to all Animal Guides, so the Polar Bear Dog knew exactly what to do.

All that time spent training with the Inuzuka clan had sharpened her nose, making it easy to follow the right scent through the trees and find her target.

True, it had taken longer than expected, but that damn snake had tried to eat her!

Panting with exhaustion after the long run and impromptu fight, Fubuki nearly collapsed in relief once she found him.

Gaara seemed surprised to see her, if the slight hitch in his breath and widening of his eyes was any indication.

Taking a moment to shake some of the serpent's blood from her fur, the dog made sure her legs were steady before moving closer.

Ignoring the other two, she went straight towards Gaara, stopping a couple of feet away and gesturing with her head over one shoulder, letting out a low whimper.

The boy did not seem to quite understand, and Fubuki huffed softly, wondering why not all humans were bright like her cub.

With Kumiko in mind, the Polar Bear Dog let out a louder whine, shifting anxiously from side to side and hoping Gaara would catch on.

His eyes narrowed, suddenly intense, and Fubuki was rather proud of her cub's choice in mate.

"Where is she?"

She motioned back the way she had come once more, and then offered her back for the boy to climb on.

When he hesitated, Fubuki decided enough time had been wasted and took matters into her own paws.

In a move that likely would have resulted in her death were it not for Kumiko's influence, she picked the boy up by the gourd strapped to his back and deposited him on her own back with ease.

Levering herself fully upright, Fubuki held back a snicker at Gaara's clear unhappiness with her manhandling as she took off into the trees.

After all, Kumiko needed both of them alive and well at the moment.

* * *

To say Gaara was 'concerned' would be like calling the ocean 'slightly wet'.

Once his mind had processed that it was Fubuki, splattered in blood and without her rider, the Jinchuriki felt nothing short of _panic_.

He could not help imagining what could have happened to Kumiko, hoping she was alright and not…

Gaara suspected that what he found was not that far from what a nightmare must be like.

The grass was splattered with blood, _**her blood**_, _senbon_ and kunai buried in the dirt like grave markers.

And there was Kumiko, stained red and blue and purple over almost inch of skin, staring at him with those eyes as if she had just seen salvation.

"Gaara…"

Completely oblivious to anyone else, Gaara was immediately by her side, trying to see through the blood for any serious injuries.

Shukaku growled in the back of his mind, and Gaara looked into her eyes, rage licking at his insides.

"Who did this to you?"

Kumiko did not say, but her eyes flickered to the side, and he glared at the three unconscious shinobi a few yards away.

A fully-male squad from Amegakure, at the very least five years her senior, were sprawled unceremoniously on the ground, likely where they had fallen to Kumiko's blows.

_**They had tried to take her away from him.**_

When he thought of the possible reasons why, his blood boiled.

_**And they were still breathing.**_

The sand reacted, leaking from his gourd and slithering through the grass like snakes, swallowing the three bodies whole.

_**It would only take a moment, just a little pressure, and-**_

Warm hands cupped his face, and intense jade eyes locked with teary blue.

"Please, don't…"

The anger evaporated like water under the desert sun, and he felt the sand go lax at the sight of her tears.

"Kumiko…"

"No more…" The girl pleaded, burying her face in Gaara's chest to muffle her shaky sobs. "No more blood…_Please_…"

Wrapping his arms securely around her, the Jinchuriki hummed softly in an attempt to soothe away Kumiko's tears, running a hand through her hair.

"Alright, _tenshi_, alright…" Gaara whispered, heart cracking at the faint trembling he felt. "I promise, no more blood…"

Shukaku mumbled rather unhappily about that, but did not argue with his container about it; the last thing the Bijuu wanted was for her to start crying.

An awkward cough reminded the pair that they were not quite alone.

"It's nice yer bein' all mushy an' all…" Kana started, face turned skyward as if that would make this entire thing more bearable. "But sweet'eart should heal 'erself up 'fore the mutt breaks her vocal cords."

Fubuki flicked the Earthbender upside the head with her tail with a snort, sitting down and looking away as if she had not been pacing and whining only moments before.

Blushing at the reminder, Kumiko straightened up, pulling water from her discarded pouches to coat her hands.

The liquid glowed upon contact with her skin, and Gaara watched, fascinated, as the cuts and bruises vanished, the punctures knitting themselves together at a slightly slower pace.

In a matter of minutes, it was as if Kumiko had not been injured at all, though her clothes were still a bit torn.

Blinking away the haze brought on by blood-loss, she remembered something _extremely_ important.

"Oh spirits, _Sakura-chan_!" The Waterbender shouted, jumping unsteadily to her feet and stumbling slightly to regain her balance. "I promised I'd go back! It's been hours!"

"You're in no position to go anywhere." Gaara argued, putting a hand on her arm in case the girl started to sway.

"I _promised_." She replied steadfastly, frowning. "And I _never_ break a promise."

Turning away from the now bound and gagged ninja she had been using as a distraction, Megumi sighed at the glare-match that was ensuing.

"There's no point arguing with her when she's like this." The Firebender advised. "We should go see if they're alright, and then get to the tower as quickly as possible."

Gaara was extremely tempted to argue, but held his tongue; Megumi was nothing if not logical, and if she really believed Kumiko could not be swayed…

"I'm going with you."

Apparently caught off-guard by the quick reversal, Kumiko blinked up at him in surprise.

"What?"

"I'm going with you." Gaara repeated as Fubuki approached, curious. "I will not stay behind while you run into danger."

Heart warming at the reassurance, Kumiko smiled, the weight lifting off her shoulders.

"I wouldn't run in with anyone else."


	29. Chapter 29: It's Enough

Kumiko very rarely gave in to her temper.

Like most Waterbenders, her strength came from channeling her emotions.

Unfortunately for the Oto nin, Kumiko's temper never flared higher than when someone hurt the people she promised to protect.

* * *

Dosu had never been more assured of victory.

The Uchiha was easily beaten down, the kunoichi even more so, and no one else that had arrived was much more than an annoyance.

Proud of his comparative strength, the Sound nin scoffed.

Konoha Genin were no better than cockroaches.

And it was his duty to squash them.

Melody Arm unsheathed, Dosu was fully prepared to do just that.

Just as the chakra began to build up…

"_NO_!"

Startled, Dosu turned sharply-

And was met with a fist to the face.

The punch was strong enough to send him flying off his feet and a few yards through the air before the Sound shinobi hit the ground hard on his back.

Dazed, he looked up into furious midnight eyes and thought better of his earlier statement.

Some Konoha Genin were wolves.

Just as Dosu thought to raise his arms and strike back, sand pinned him to the grass, constricting once in warning.

Zaku turned on their newly-arrived opponent, arms raised to blast her away-

Columns of rock burst up from the ground, smacking into the appendages with a sickening 'CRACK', and the Oto shinobi fell with a scream.

The earth shackled him down in moments, and the little brunette kunoichi looked down at him with a scowl.

"An' _stay_ down."

Kin twitched, ready to attack, when a blade touched her throat in warning.

"I would not recommend it." Her attacker stated calmly. "After all, I'm not particularly fond of you at the moment. Cleaning blood out of my clothes would be a small price to pay for satisfaction."

The Sound kunoichi went very still, instinctively knowing that this Konoha Genin was not lying.

The ground came up to encase her arms, pulling down to force Kin into a helpless kneeling position as the blade was removed.

Squad Seven and Ten, as well as Team Gai, stared at the all-kunoichi team in different stages of surprise and awe.

In moments, they had defeated a group that had taken all eight of them to stall, and without much effort.

Sakura had never been more relieved that Kumiko and her friends were on _their_ side.

Sand crept over all three Oto nin, and Gaara resisted the urge to crush them for their insolence.

He had promised Kumiko there would be no more blood.

Shukaku suggested a compromise.

Kumiko was actually about to let the trio leave of their own volition when the sand snapped up like whips, sending them flying over the tree tops and out of sight.

Blinking after them in confusion, the Waterbender turned to Gaara in disbelief.

"Why would you do that?"

"They irritate me." He replied honestly. "And I promised not to kill anyone."

"So you _tossed them_? What if the fall kills them?"

"It's their own fault for not saving themselves."

"I'm wit' Red on this one." Kana voiced, smirking. "Gettin' tossed is more than 'ey deserved."

"Does no one appreciate the art of nonviolence?" Megumi muttered, sheathing her swords.

The Earthbender paused, as if really thinking it over, before grinning.

"Pretty much."

Calm as could be, the redhead picked up a rock, testing the weight with a careful toss, and chucked it at Kana's head.

SMACK!

"OW!"

"Meg!" Kumiko chided, oblivious to the amusement Gaara and the other observers were feeling at the sight. "You're supposed to be the mature one!"

"Considering my options, that was the mature response."

Arguing was clearly not going to get her anywhere, so Kumiko gave up with a sigh, turning her attention to the other Konoha Genin.

Worry overcame the irritation at the sight of a battered Sakura, and she immediately moved to help the pink-haired kunoichi stand.

"Are you alright?"

The Waterbender stopped as she finally noticed the biggest change, guilty.

"Sakura-chan, your hair…"

"Oh, it's alright…" She assured, smiling shyly as she played with the tips. "I kinda like having it short again…"

Kumiko was silent for a moment, surprised.

There had been no 'I'm sure Sasuke-kun won't mind' or 'Maybe Sasuke-kun will like it', just an 'I kinda like it'.

It was the first time in six years that Kumiko had heard Sakura like something for herself.

The thought brought a smile to her face.

"I do, too." She replied. "I think it suits you."

Shikamaru took a moment to watch Ino approach them, hoping she would not somehow make things worse, before the feeling of being watched registered in his brain.

Turning, he found Megumi silently looking him over, gold eyes blank except for some hidden emotion that was hard to see.

Butterflies filled his stomach as the thought 'She's checking me out' flew to the forefront of his mind, and did not disappear even as the more rational 'She's only checking for injuries' followed.

"Are you uninjured?" Megumi wondered, somewhat awkward.

Shikamaru was fairly certain his heart jumped at the realization that maybe she _had_ been, in her own way.

"I'm alright." He replied, seeing a flash of relief in her eyes before the Firebender's expression turned irritated.

The shadow-user reasoned that it was likely an emotion she was more used to.

"Were you thinking when you ran into that fight?" She scolded. "If we hadn't come in time, you would be dead right now."

Sometimes, Shikamaru wondered if girls were worth the trouble.

"I wasn't given much of a choice." He admitted. "Ino dragged me in."

Those gold eyes snapped to said blonde, narrowing in what might have been upset, before Megumi regained control of her expression.

Arms crossed, she looked away as if embarrassed, though her face remained blank.

"You should be more careful."

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered, avoiding her eyes as well. "I will."

Rubbing the growing bruise on her head and ignoring the others, Kana reached into her weapon's pouch and pulled out an Earth Scroll, tossing it at Neji's head.

Catching the impromptu projectile with ease, the Hyuuga eyed it skeptically.

"What is this?"

"It's a scroll." Kana replied, smirking. "Don't tell me ya can't tell that much, _warugaki_."

He glared, but made no move to attack.

Neji convinced himself that it was a waste of energy.

"Why would you give it to me?" He rephrased instead, annoyed.

"Ya wanna pass, don't ya?" The blind kunoichi countered, hands placed nonchalantly behind her head. "Figured if I wanna beat ya up in the next part, ya gotta pass this one. What, ya 'lready got yer set?"

Neji frowned, unwilling to admit that his team had not yet retrieved a second scroll while hers had clearly obtained more than the necessary twin set.

Unfortunately, Kana could tell anyway, and smirked.

"That's what I thought, _warugaki_."

The Earthbender turned away before Neji could regain control of his anger and speak without sputtering indignantly, tossing a Heaven Scroll to Megumi and focusing on her new task of waking up a now-snoring Naruto.

Grabbing the blonde by the front of his shirt, she shook him rather violently, like a rag doll.

"Wake up, ya o'ergrown dipshit! I ain't got all day!"

His snores never faltered, and Kana was beginning to shake him even harder when Megumi came up, rolling her eyes.

"Allow me." She advised, motioning for the younger kunoichi to back up.

Kana stopped shaking him, but stubbornly refused to move.

Shrugging in reply, the Firebender said the one thing she knew would wake Naruto up from even the deepest sleep.

"Ichiraku Ramen."

"WHERE?"

BAM!

"OW!"

"SON OF A-!"

Naruto had jackknifed up at the mention of his favorite thing in the world, smacking foreheads with a startled Earthbender.

Releasing him, Kana pressed on her new bruise and let out a string of curses, most of them directed at her teammate with the firm belief that both her head injuries were Megumi's fault.

Gaara watched everything silently from the background, taking note of the unique interactions and staying out of sight.

There was no need for him to involve himself; he was here for Kumiko, not for them.

When said kunoichi broke away from the large group of Konoha Genin, Gaara was pleased to know that she still preferred him over everyone else.

Fubuki lifted her head from the apparent disagreement she was having with Tomo, tense, but the Polar Bear Dog relaxed and turned away once she realized where Kumiko was heading.

No one could blame her for being concerned, considering the day they had been having…

"Gaara?"

Shaking away the dark thoughts that had begun filling his mind, the Suna nin felt himself relax as Kumiko's clear blue eyes peered up at him.

"Do you want to go?"

He wanted very badly to say yes, to get away from the crowd and not have to share his angel's affection, but held back.

Kumiko had been very worried about the Konoha Rookies, and with good reason, so perhaps she wanted to stay.

"There's no need." Gaara assured. "Temari and Kankuro should be following us, and have picked up our second scroll."

Taking Shukaku's advice, he did not tell her that his siblings had likely taken said scroll from the defeated Amegakure nin and then killed them, if only to keep Suna's secret safe.

Gaara agreed that it would likely upset her, one way or another.

But Kumiko had long ago learned to read a person's thoughts from their face, their eyes, instead of their words.

"I think they'll be alright. The hard part is over, at least." Kumiko noted, checking over the group once more.

It was an opening, a retreat, and Gaara had never been so relieved.

"If we leave now, we can reach the tower first."

Kumiko understood the importance of that; other teams would set up traps to capture their slower counterparts for scrolls near the finish line, whether they needed more or not, and those traps could be deadly.

"Right." Kumiko agreed, relaxing. "Meg! Kana! Time to go!"

The Firebender looked up from holding a flailing Kana at arm's-length, nodding once, and the smaller girl slumped in aggravated defeat at the interruption.

The goodbyes were short, some even awkward, but none were particularly curt or forced.

Even the Hyuuga was polite to the supposed bane of existence, Kana, which confused Gaara to no end.

As all of them parted ways, the thought stuck in his head, a stubborn thorn in a lion's paw.

What made Konoha nin so…connected?

Was it…

Was it something he could have, too?

Kumiko looked over her shoulder, as if concerned, and when their eyes met, she gave Gaara that beautiful little smile saved just for him.

As warmth spread through his blood, the Jinchuriki decided that he did not care in the least.

Kumiko was enough.

* * *

_**warugaki**_-brat


	30. Chapter 30: Old Pains

The tower was massive, tall enough to overshadow the trees and wide enough to make the trunks look like toothpicks in comparison.

A large portion of civilization in the middle of brutal nature.

Kumiko felt it was a bit out of place, intrusive, in this forest, very unlike the village she had grown to love.

Pressed tightly against her neck, Tomo grumbled lowly, threatening to puff up and hiss at the slightest provocation.

Fubuki was much calmer, though she stayed close to Kumiko's side as they approached the building.

Temari and Kankuro, who had managed to catch up an hour before, opened the sealed door to avoid angering Gaara.

This was wise, since said Suna nin was very much on-edge about Kumiko's health, making his temper short and dangerous.

The room was a bit large, with balconies on both sides and empty space down the middle.

Megumi stepped forward to read the parchment hanging on the opposite wall, finding a riddle.

"'If you do not possess Heaven, gain knowledge and be prepared. If you do not possess Earth, run through the fields and gain strength. If you open both Heaven and Earth, dangerous paths become safe paths. This is the secret. It shall lead you on your way'."

Frowning, the Firebender turned around, arms crossed.

"We need to open both scrolls. At the same time seems preferable."

Kana shrugged, pulling out one of each from her kunai pouch and tossing the other to Kumiko.

"Whate'er ya say, hothead."

Kankuro and Temari copied them, though they hesitated where Kana and Kumiko did not.

They trusted Megumi not to be wrong.

Unrolling the Heaven scroll in her hands, the Waterbender paused at the symbols drawn on the white paper before realization dawned on her.

'Summoning inscriptions.'

After the realization came panic.

Throwing her opened scroll onto the floor a few feet away, she immediately whipped around to knock the other from Kana's hands.

Luckily, this sudden action caused the elder Sand Siblings to drop their scrolls in response, adrenaline taking hold.

Smoke bubbled up from the symbols, and Gaara pulled his angel back in a protective move he was becoming familiar with.

With a '**pop**' that reminded Kana of the Substitution _Jutsu_ the Third Hokage had sometimes used during training, two Chunin were standing on the scrolls with the serious calm of seasoned shinobi.

"Congratulations on passing the second phase of the Chunin Exam." One greeted, arms crossed. "You're definitely early, but we're here to welcome you to the third and final phase of the exam."

Kumiko felt both relieved and exhausted that this test was over, the latter amplified by the knowledge that there was still more to come.

"We are also here to explain the meaning of this." The other explained, gesturing to the parchment behind them. "This is the principal Hokage-sama wrote that you should keep in mind as Chunin."

"What is there to explain?" Megumi wondered, eyebrow raised in skepticism. "It's clear that 'Heaven' represents the mind and 'Earth' the body, and that it is best to have both if you hope to succeed as a shinobi."

The other Genin, along with the Chunin, stared at her in surprise, and she shrugged in response, unperturbed.

"Show-off…" Kana grumbled good-naturedly.

With a flick of the wrist, Megumi cuffed her teammate upside the head, earning a wince.

"Well, since you figured it out without our help…" The first Chunin started, still a bit stunned. "You're free to explore the tower until the end of the second phase. There's an infirmary in the next hallway, if you have any injuries."

* * *

Despite Kumiko's protests, she was immediately herded into the tower's infirmary by a stoically-worried Gaara as the others split up to find their rooms.

The nurses on duty immediately began to fret over her, and the Waterbender relented only because she knew her adopted father was likely worried sick.

A report on her good health would ease his worries, at least a little.

Staying still as they measured her heart rate and blood pressure, Kumiko was oblivious to the growing tension in the room.

Intense teal eyes glared at each of the nurses as they went about their duties, making them even more anxious than before.

Treating the daughter of their leader was nerve-wracking enough without being stared down by her boyfriend at the same time…

The two assigned to care for her Polar Bear Dog were relieved to have a screen as protection, though they had to deal with a prowling Tomo instead.

Kumiko was rather relieved once everything was done, swinging her legs carelessly as a poor man gave her the results.

"There are no visible wounds or infection, a good sign, though your blood pressure is a bit low. You should be fine after a good meal and some rest."

Having expected that to be the case, Kumiko hopped down from the stretcher, smiling in gratitude.

"_Arigato_. I'll be sure to do that."

Growing even more nervous as Gaara's glare intensified on him, the male nurse coughed softly to loosen his fear-tightened throat.

"Ah, but your…Polar Bear Dog will need to stay here for the night, to be sure her minor injuries do not get infected."

Kumiko nodded, though she was a bit subdued now, and the killer intent seemed to fill every corner of the room like smoke.

"I understand. You'll take good care of her, won't you?"

"Of course!" He replied hastily, feeling his death closing in at the implication that they would be lax in their duties.

"I'm sure she'll be much better after a night here, so there's no need to worry."

Gaara stepped forward then, placing a hand on the small of her back to steer the girl out into the hallway, sweeping his chilling gaze over the staff one more time before they were gone.

Sighing softly, the Waterbender rubbed her eyes in an attempt to clear the fuzz from her vision.

Though Kumiko would not admit it, the blood loss had taken quite a toll on her.

She had not lost that much blood in nearly a decade, where the sub-zero temperatures had thickened the red and kept her alive for days.

The memories of it plagued her even now. Kumiko sometimes felt her entire world shift and sway, blur around the edges, and she would-

_be a little girl again, clinging to Fubuki's back as they raced over the ice, soaked in red and_-

forcing the images back, heart racing with old pain.

"_Tenshi_?"

Startled from her thoughts, she blinked up at Gaara for a moment before managing a smile.

"_Gomen_, I'm just…tired. I should probably take a nap before dinner, after all."

Brow furrowing in concern, Gaara nodded, herding her towards the right hallway.

With no other competitors having arrived just yet, the two squads were given their pick of rooms, which held two people each.

Kumiko guessed that Megumi and Kana were already in one, relaxing and sleeping, leaving her with a room all to herself.

Seeing Gaara's concerned expression out of her peripheral, the Waterbender figured it would be alright to share a room, at least for a little while…

Stopping at the first door, Gaara opened the door and stepped inside first, sand seeping onto the carpet and scouting for traps.

He was not willing to take any more chances.

Once sure that nothing was lying in wait, he held the door open for Kumiko to step in and see the room for herself.

It was small and rather empty, holding only two single beds and a stout dresser.

A window sat between the headboards, shadowed by ivy and leaves, and a door was half-open on the right-hand wall that led to a utilitarian bathroom, a glass shower cubicle visible through the crack.

With a deep, tired breath, Kumiko headed for the dresser and pulled out a drawer to reveal plain t-shirts and loose shorts stacked neatly within, ready for use.

Settling on the edge of one of the beds, Gaara watched her grab a change of clothes, feeling something was wrong and growing increasingly agitated because of it.

What was wrong?

"I'm going to take a shower, okay?" Kumiko voiced, slightly strained, and the Jinchuriki noticed a slight redness around her dull blue irises that was new. "I'll only be a few minutes."

Gaara's agitation morphed into something much stronger at the pain he could see in her blue eyes.

She was not allowed to run away from him.

"No."

The Waterbender paused on her way to the bathroom, and turned back to him in confusion.

"Gaara?"

Standing slowly, the Suna nin closed the short distance between them, though it felt like crossing an ocean instead of floor.

Kumiko was so still that she began to tremble, feeling very much like fragile glass, as he cupped her face gently, jade eyes intense but so very understanding.

"You don't have to hide from me, _tenshi_."

Those words shattered her control, and tears swarmed up as her walls crumbled.

Everything crashed down on her at once, and Kumiko pressed herself into Gaara's warm chest, choking on a sob that came up from the broken edges of her heart.

The sound made his heart throb in empathetic pain through the initial alarm, and Gaara pulled her closer, as if hoping to squeeze the tears out faster.

His gourd dissolved, relieving the Jinchuriki of it's familiar weight, and the resulting sand brushed against her back like a cat might, showing Shukaku's intention to comfort Kumiko as well.

The feel of sand did not cause the terror in her that Gaara was used to from others; in fact, Kumiko relaxed, her trembling becoming less violent as her knees buckled, too weak to hold her weight now that the tension was gone.

The sand caught her firmly around the thighs, and Gaara maneuvered them to one of the beds, careful not to lose his grip.

The slight movement caused Kumiko's own grip to tighten, and she pressed closer in a blind panic.

"Please…Please, don't leave…" She begged, choking on the soft words around her sobs. "I can't be alone again, please, I just can't…"

Walls crumbling at her broken pleas, Gaara pulled her onto the bed, curling around the girl and petting her hair in an attempt to soothe the pain.

"I won't leave, _tenshi_." He promised sincerely. "You never have to be alone again."


	31. MESSAGE

Hello, everyone!

I know it's been a while (a long..._long_ while), but I'm glad to say that I'm really getting back into the swing of things!

It's just that, where I am in the story and where I want to be are _extremely_ far apart; I want to be in Shippuden, farther along in the relationship, with more control of the plot and more chances for (adorable, heart-wrenching, sensual) moments between my two main characters. So, things need to be changed, and I'm still not quite sure how to do that.

(I'm totally open to suggestions, if any of you guys are interested)

To get back into the game, so to speak, I'm going to start off with the AUs I thought up so long ago ('Beauty and the Beast', 'Tangled', 'Hunchback of Notre Dame') and find my old rhythm. Who knows, I might do better this time. ;)

I'm so sorry for taking so long (and likely getting your hopes up), but I really do hope you'll bear with me just a little longer.

First up, 'Beauty and the Beast'! (And don't forget to read Ao Kitsune12's 'Three Wishes', an Aladdin AU with my characters that's already amazing)

Sincerely,

ChibiLover123


	32. NEW SUMMARY!

Now that my muse has returned, I'm hog-tying her to a chair and getting back in the saddle!

It's been _forever_ since I've worked on 'When Waves Meet The Sand', but I'm going to be reworking some things now that I'm back.

You see, the Naruto plot is...well..._extremely_ long. And that's not counting Shippuden! So I'm shifting some things around, and jumping right into a self-made plot so I can get right to the awesomeness that is Post-Time Skip!

I'll be working primarily on 'Beauty and the Sand Demon' (an AU for this story that will be coming soon), but this one will be building up on the sidelines.

I'm so excited! I've missed the cuteness that's Kumiko and Gaara! *hugs Kumiko and Gaara plushies* I don't know how I lived without it!

Now, here's the summary I've come up with for the new-and-improved 'When Waves Meet The Sand'. I hope you all like it!

* * *

After a lifetime of murder, Gaara was finally beginning to grasp the concept of bonds and creating them with those around him. When given a collaborative mission with Konoha to retrieve an unknown political figure and then escort them to the Land of Iron, he had no idea how much it would change him.

After a lifetime of training, Kumiko is finally ready to take the last step towards becoming a fully-realized Avatar; reaching the Spirit World. But trouble is brewing in Republic City, unrest growing as an unknown group tries to seize power, and it is not safe for her to stay. As the Avatar, it is her job to restore balance…But she is afraid she is not strong enough.

A story of danger, of regret, of inner conflict and heartbreaking revelations; a story about the malleability of fate, and the ties that bind us; but most of all, it is a story of love and acceptance, of healing, and of protecting those precious to you.

Because Family means _No One Gets Left Behind…__**Or Forgotten**_.


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